Fever measurement, mask check and disinfection, all in one device

Better control of access to public facilities – not an easy task in the age of Corona. A young Zug entrepreneur wants to change that.

A stainless-steel stand with a screen, camera and disinfection dispenser stands in the reception area of the Zurich dental practice on the Pfauen. If you have an appointment here, you first have to pass this automatic access check. Our reporter therefore smiles into the camera – behind his face mask, of course. The announcement "Normal temperature" sounds immediately from the computer. And the screen displays your body temperature. It also reads: "Wearing a mask". The test has been passed, and you’re allowed to enter.

"The idea was born during the lockdown in March," says the Zug entrepreneur Peter Hofstetter during the interview. He is a co-founder of Health Technics, which is moving into its offices in Risch this week and is marketing the device. Together with a former colleague from the advertising industry, Ticino-born Renato Schena, he promoted the idea of a "modular personal control system" for the Corona period. Hofstetter's dentist, Stefano Giudici, joined the team, and the device now stands in his practice. He is convinced of the concept: "If I have a case of Corona in my practice, I would have to close." The device helps him to minimise the risk.

"Normal temperature": the founders Renato Schena, Stefano Giudici and Peter Hofstetter (from left)

If someone has an elevated body temperature, the colleague will see this on her screen at reception and can both isolate the patient from the other patients and encourage him/her to take a test. An acoustic warning signal would also be possible – although this is not used the dental practice for the time being, in order to protect privacy.

The demand is manageable so far
"We are now ready to deliver," says Schena, who was already an entrepreneur before this project. One of the devices will be in use next week at the Genuss Film Festival in Zug, which starts on September 17. There, too, there will be somebody standing by the device, who will approach any visitors with an elevated body temperature. Otherwise, the device is currently only in use in the Zurich dentist's office, however.

So is there a lack of demand?
Hofstetter does not believe so, and points out that the device was recently presented in a Basle retirement home and in a Zurich private clinic, who are now considering buying one. A hotel manager from western Switzerland is also interested – as soon as he has guests once again.

Giudici also points out that the current situation is a challenge: "Nobody knows what’s going on, and there are always new regulations from the authorities – I’ve seen this in practice." And how are the founders dealing with the topic of data protection? "Basically, our device is not designed to store data," says Hofstetter. If someone wants to do this, he or she will have to deal with the legal provisions himself. The aim, by the way, is to sell the device for less than CHF 5,000.

Some companies have already gone one step further in the meantime. According to an article of the "NZZ" newspaper, the employees of the Pilatus aircraft manufacturer have their body temperature measured when entering the company premises, and this data is stored for a certain period of time. And the consumer goods manufacturer Unilever tests all employees in Thayngen and Steinhausen, but does not record any data.

The Federal Task Force questions the fever tests
There is criticism of fever scans from the scientific side, however: the Federal Covid 19 Task Force concluded in April that fever tests only make limited sense. Many infected people do not show an increased body temperature. The few cases that are discovered could lead to false sense of security. You should therefore also test for other symptoms, such as a dry cough and sore throat at the same time.