A New Low-Cost Temperature Gun developed by Indian Navy

The Mumbai Naval Dockyard has designed a low-cost IR based temperature sensor. The sensor is to be used to check the personnel entering at the gates of the yard.

Highlights

The instrument was manufactured at less than Rs 1000. The manufacturing cost is fraction of the instruments used in the market. The accuracy of the temperature gun is 0.2 degree Celsius. The temperature gun has a LED display and an infrared sensor

Need

The Naval Dockyard has more than 20,000 personnel entering ever day. Since the outbreak of the virus, temperature guns and non-contact thermometers have become scarce in the country. Thus, this new temperature gun will help the Dockyard to quicken its screening process.

Infrared Thermometers

The IR thermometer like the one made by the dockyard uses lens to focus infrared light. It works on a principle called Black body radiation.

Any object at temperature above 0 degree Celsius has molecules moving around. The speed of the molecules increases with increase in temperature. As they move, these molecules emit IR rays. The IR thermometer has a detector that concentrates these IR rays from the hot body. If the rays are more, the detector generates higher current.  Higher the current, higher is the temperature of the body.

Significance

Such low cost affordable medical equipment are at large need at the moment as the world is under health emergency. They will help fight against virus more efficiently.

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2020