FLIR Touch-Free Sensors Help Pedestrians Stay Safe at Crossings and Decrease the Spread of Infection

The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has alerted people to just how much we all spread germs around, and drawn attention to the need for better safety measures to prevent the spread of disease in public spaces. We all know not to touch your face when out in public, but there are plenty of other things it’s hard to avoid touching. Crosswalk buttons are one of those. Pedestrian crossings usually have physical push-buttons to alert the traffic light system that someone needs to cross the road, and just one of those buttons could be touched by hundreds (if not thousands) of hands a day, making them a hot-bed for germs and viruses.

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The current pandemic has highlighted the need for touch-free pedestrian sensors so we can stop using physical push-buttons. One such sensor is the FLIR TrafiOne. The TrafiOne uses thermal imaging to detect pedestrians and cyclists based on their temperature signatures, meaning it doesn’t need any natural or artificial light to function, and can provide uninterrupted, 24-hour detection of pedestrians and bicyclists.

When implemented, TrafiOne thermal sensors automatically detect pedestrians waiting to cross the road and alerts the traffic light system. That means no more trying to push the crosswalk button with your elbow to avoid germs, or getting out the gloves before crossing the street. The TrafiOne can also detect if a group of people is waiting, and if the group is too large will send a signal to the lights to change and let pedestrians cross. This is especially relevant when it comes to virus control, as it will help limit instances of crowds of people waiting in close proximity.

In addition to working in all lighting and weather conditions, thermal imaging also has the advantage of protecting privacy. TrafiOne cameras can detect that a person is waiting to cross, but not the identifying physical features of that person as a visual camera would, meaning the pedestrian’s identity can’t be easily discerned.

FLIR detection and monitoring solutions help traffic and public transportation agencies manage traffic flow efficiently and ensure public safety. Based on advanced technology proven for more than 25 years, and with over 50,000 traffic light management systems installed worldwide, FLIR offers field proven solutions for all manners of pedestrian and cyclist detection.