A New COVID-19 Security Measure - Japan's New No-Contact Thermometer Sensor System, HESTA AI Security Gate

Tokyo Culture Covid-19

2020.06.02

This new Japanese tech checks faces for masks, and only allows people through after an accurate temperature check.

Living with Coronavirus

After weeks of living under the Japanese state of emergency, on May 25th the government called for an end. Officially, Japan is back to normal. Shops and restaurants, plus museums and theme parks, are all beginning to reopen, and the crowds are returning to Tokyo's busiest neighborhoods. Gone are the days of ghost-town Shibuya Crossing, and the Japanese phrase for "packed trains" is trending on Twitter. But the highly contagious nature of this virus has not been forgotten, and while people are ready to leave the house, the residents of Japan are still concerned about safety. This newest high-tech device out of Japan is a step towards consistently enforced COVID-19 safety policies, and it's bound to be found in every public doorway before long.

The HESTA AI Security Gate

The system has two main features: it can check faces for masks and for identity (for offices), and it can read body temperature through infrared thermography. After a quick hands-free face and temperature check, people can pass right through, making the process pretty smooth. It also saves the data it records, making it easy to track any cases that might be infection risks.

Actually Trying the System

The simple design looks like something out of a sci-fi movie, but it's probably fairly easy to set up, and small enough that it's not in the way.

With so much evidence now that wearing masks significantly reduces the risk of infection, the device's mask detection function seems pretty important. Take off your mask and it will sound an alert, stopping you in your tracks.

Put that mask back on and you're through! Along with the infrared thermography, the company suggests that the system works well in both public spaces and semi-private areas like offices, schools, and hospitals, thanks to the multiple-functions of the AI face sensor.

Some facilities are already using the system, like this pachinko parlor with a HESTA system sitting right next to the entrance.

While some concerns have been voiced about long lines forming due to the extra necessary step before walking through the door, for now it seems like that's a small price to pay to ensure a little bit of safety as we all return to public spaces. An extra minute waiting in line sure seems better than mingling with an unknowing crowd of (literally) feverish shoppers!