Clorox develops device for classrooms to detect ‘illness indicators’
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The Clorox Co. said today it has developed an experimental device to be used in school classrooms that can detect “illness indicators” in real time.
“Each year, schools face the challenge of preventing one cough or sneeze from turning into a cold or flu outbreak. For schools that have decided to resume in-person learning, the added pressure of SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes covid-19, means taking every possible safety precaution is of the utmost importance.
Recognizing the gap in tools available to educators that provide real-time information, Clorox developed an experimental device to help detect an uptick in illness indicators, including fevers, coughs and sneezes,” the company said in a news release.
The device will be “donated to select schools around the country and will launch with an initial beta test this fall to help educators and students return to classrooms more safely and confidently.”
According to a news release, the device will alert school officials “when a classroom has surpassed a predetermined symptom threshold developed by Dr. Saskia Popescu, epidemiologist research partner and infection preventionist.”
The device uses specialized thermal sensors that can can detect spikes in body temperature. It also can recognize “upticks in coughs and sneezes.”
When the symptoms “surpass a predetermined threshold, educators receive real-time notifications.”
The device does not record or save information.
Schools interested in receiving a device or learning more about the beta test can visit the Clorox website.