Bayanat Engineering Qatar: Providing HIA with hi-tech solutions to combat virus
COVID-19 prevention and solutions at Hamad International Airport
With the unexpected arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries and their industries all around the planet had been constrained to adapt new sanitary measures, in order to reduce contamination by the quasi-omnipresent virus. Airports, the tourist hubs of the world that welcome millions of visitors every year, have seen the risk of becoming the primary spreading spots for the novel coronavirus, as the number of infections continued growing globally.
This is why, it has been an essential task for engineers to make sure that these places of potential first contact with the disease, are well-disinfected and secured. Hamad International Airport, elected as one of the top-three airports in the world in 2020, has seen its own load of sanitary measures implemented. The focus has been put on the diminution of the potential transmissions of COVID-19, as well as on prevention, needed to reduce any possibility of the virus’ “setting foot” on the Qatari soil.
Apart from the now-essential masks and gloves distributed to all staff members, the encouraged cashless card payment, the hand sanitisers available at every corner and the disinfection of the high-contact areas every 10 to 15 minutes, HIA now boasts an array of technological solutions — its ammunition against the vicious virus. In fact, Hamad International Airport has been espousing technological advancement from its very conception; the same spirit of innovation dominates its strategy against the pandemic.
Technological solutions at HIA
One may believe themselves in a Star Wars theme park upon entering the airport. What are all of those intergalactic-looking helmets and robots circling everywhere? The robots that have been put in place all around the facility, especially in the zones of higher visitor concentrations. These autonomous devices kill the majority of noxious micro-organisms in the air, by emitting concentrated UV-C light, hence reducing the risk of contamination by the virus. The ultraviolet solutions have also been employed in the disinfection tunnels for the passing luggage.
As for the sci-fi helmets that are worn by the staff, these are, in fact, intelligent infra-red face masks that measure the temperature of the passers-by. Its functioning based on IR thermal imaging, AI and augmented reality display, the contactless head appliance is an exemplar of HIA’s innovation-based approach to combatting the COVID-19 crisis.
But the real stars of this futuristic aerodrome are the M3000N Dual Vision Network Thermal Imaging Cameras, an extra-precise arsenal deployed to screen the temperature of the crowds. How does this system work?
With its coverage of hundreds of people per minute, it achieves an impressive 99.5% accuracy in measuring the temperature of individuals. It is critical to determine the first fever symptoms, raised body temperature’s being one of the giveaway signs of the novel coronavirus infection. Time and resource-efficient, the scanner cameras present themselves as optimal solutions in the scenario. Installed by Bayanat Engineering in only 2 months, the camera system uses Cantronics technology, which facilitates mass scanning. Furthermore, the footage of the cameras could be stored for a period of 60 days, enough to find potential signs of the infected individuals and help trace back the amplitude and spread of contaminations. It also utilises uninterruptible power supply (UPS), which allows the system to function and perform continuously, without interruption. It is also very easy to sync with the third-party software, such as Qatar’s Ehteraz application, since transparency and good communication are essential in preventing the spread of the virus.
Hasan Ezzeddine, General Manager at Bayanat Engineering, prides himself in the technology, and said: “I believe it is a great and essential solution in the current state of affairs and will be a necessity due to high accuracy.”
Indeed, Bayanat Engineering, throughout the years, has been a loyal partner and provider to the Hamad International Airport both in terms of technological and sanitary solutions.