Apple might add a way to measure temperature with your iPhone
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We all know how serious Apple is about the impact its devices have on our health. They’ve been consistently providing more ways for us to track our heart rate, sleep, stress, and other vital stats. Most of the technology enabling this, like the blood oxygen sensor, Apple offers only on the Apple Watch.
Yes, you do get a very detailed health tracker on iPhone, but that’s all software. Now, we might be getting hints at possible future hardware that could improve the phone’s health tracking capabilities even more.
A patent application titled “Camera attachment and image data processing for temperature measurement” has been revealed. It shows that the American tech giant has been investing in camera technology that would be capable of analyzing an iPhone image to determine the temperature of a subject.
The application states that “given the ubiquitous nature of smartphones, the attachment can be used to convert a smartphone into a temperature measurement device to provide readily accessible temperature measurements. In some embodiments, the attachment is a passive one (without electronics or need for a power supply) and may thereby reduce manufacturing costs and increase availability.”
The frame is explained to be the part that will be carrying all the tech required to determine said temperature. The text goes on to say that “the camera attachment includes a temperature reactive material (TRM) that is coupled with the frame. The frame is configured to position the TRM within the field of view of the camera such that images captured by the camera include at least a portion of the TRM.”
The Apple Watch has been used by medical professionals and has aided them in their work and their ability to track their patient’s health. Similarly, this temperature measuring attachment that the company is looking into sounds like something that could make that whole process even easier.
Let’s not also pretend we don’t notice the connection with the COVID-19 pandemic and the distance rules it’s imposed on society. Many places, from stores to country borders, use devices that can measure temperature from a distance, and Apple’s patent application highly resembles them.
Questions & Answers
Q.Will this temperature measurement feature be built directly into the iPhone?
Will this temperature measurement feature be built directly into the iPhone?
No, the article indicates it would likely be an attachment. The patent application suggests it won't be an integrated part of the iPhone itself but an accessory that can be added when needed.
Q.How would this iPhone attachment work to measure temperature?
How would this iPhone attachment work to measure temperature?
The attachment includes a frame that couples with the iPhone camera and a temperature reactive material (TRM). The camera captures images including the TRM, and the phone then analyses these images to determine the subject's temperature.
Q.What are the potential benefits of this temperature measurement attachment?
What are the potential benefits of this temperature measurement attachment?
It could make temperature measurement readily accessible given the widespread use of smartphones. Being a passive attachment without electronics, it may also reduce manufacturing costs and increase availability, similar to how the Apple Watch aids medical professionals.
Q.Does the patent suggest this attachment would need its own power source?
Does the patent suggest this attachment would need its own power source?
No, the patent application states that in some embodiments, the attachment is a passive one. This means it would not require its own electronics or an external power supply.
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