Chinese start-up develops temperature measuring smart glasses

HANGZHOU • A Chinese start-up that develops augmented-reality products for use in manufacturing and gaming has found a promising growth area in the midst of the pandemic – wearable glasses that measure temperatures on the move.

In response to the Covid-19 outbreak, Hangzhou-based start-up Rokid has developed a pair of glasses to help screen for symptoms.

Rokid vice-president Xiang Wenjie said demand has risen for the company's T1 glasses, developed in only two weeks, after it sold roughly 1,000 pairs to governments, industrial parks and schools.

“Apart from fixed temperature measurement, T1 can provide portable, distant and prompt temperature checking, which would be a great help,” the Rokid executive said.

Equipped with an infrared sensor and a camera, the glasses allow the wearer to “see” people's temperatures.

Rokid says on its website that it completed a round of “billion-dollar” financing in 2018, led by Singapore state investor Temasek, Swiss bank Credit Suisse and others.

The firm said it is now upgrading the T1 to take multiple temperature readings simultaneously for use in places like malls and airports.

One office park in Hangzhou is replacing fixed thermometer stands with glasses after a flood of employees returning to work made temperature checks a headache for property management.

“With more new products coming out, especially these glasses, we think we can use them to conduct contactless temperature measurement. They are very efficient when faced with a big crowd of people,” said Greentown Property Management president Jin Keli.

Rokid is not the only Chinese tech start-up involved in the fight against Covid-19. Thermal imaging systems made by face recognition giant SenseTime have been installed in railway stations across China.