Elenium Automation makes device to screen passengers for illness

A Melbourne firm has developed a device to screen airline passengers for illness as they check-in via touchless self-service kiosks.

This self-service machine will be trialled at airports to screen passengers for illness.

A Melbourne technology company has come up with a method of screening airline passengers for illness as they check-in via touchless self-service kiosks.

Elenium Automation only began work on the “fit to fly” concept in mid-February, as the coronavirus crisis gained momentum creating major headaches for airports and airlines.

Chief executive and co-founder Aaron Hornlimann said the design aimed to address some of the concerns travellers and airlines might have post-crisis.

“We were already working on a touchless self-service device to assist people with mobility issues who could control it with their head in a really natural way,” Mr Hornlimann said. “When the COVID-19 crisis happened we thought, well, people aren’t going to want to touch surfaces when the recovery starts to happen and people start flying again.”

It was then that Elenium began to explore incorporating a “vital signs assessment” into the technology to determine if someone was well enough to travel, without them having to touch anything.

“It will in the background pick up if you’ve got an elevated temperature or a respiratory rate that’s not normal or a heart rate that’s not normal, and use those signals to pause the transaction until the passenger speaks to somebody or answers additional questions such as: ‘Do you have a sore throat?’ or ‘Have you been in contact with somebody who is sick?’ ” said Mr Hornlimann.

Abu Dhabi Airport will become the first to trial the new technology at Etihad Airways’ check-in area from April end.

Etihad vice president of hub and midfield operations Jorg Oppermann said: “This technology is not designed or intended to diagnose medical conditions. It is an early warning indicator which will help to identify people with general symptoms, so that they can be further assessed.”

With Elenium technology already in use at Sydney, Avalon and Hong Kong Airports, Mr Hornlimann said it would be a simple process to update to the new touchless, fit to fly program.

“We’re all frantically working so that we have a solution.”