NEC and Hawaii Department of Transportation Complete Latest Phase of Airport Thermal Screening Project

On May 17, NEC Corporation and NEC Corporation of America announced the operation of Phase 3 of the thermal temperature screening and facial imaging project at Hawaii’s five major airports that accept trans-Pacific flights. Phase 3 consisted of the installation of the facial imaging technology that will help airport representatives efficiently notify passengers who have been detected to have an elevated core body temperature of 100.4 degrees Farenheight (38 degrees Celcius) and higher a common symptom of COVID-19, by thermal screening cameras installed in Phase 1 and Phase 2.

This project is being carried out by the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) Airports Division with a team led by NEC Corporation (*). The thermal screening equipment of the project has been operational since August 2020. The combined thermal screening and facial imaging equipment began operations at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Kahului Airport (OGG), Lihue Airport (LIH), Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA) and Hilo International Airport (ITO) in early 2021, after personnel were trained in operating the system.

“Hawaii continues to implement proactive measures in response to the pandemic and this is one part of a multi layered process designed to protect the health and safety of the community by helping prevent the spread of COVID-19,” said Hawaii's Governor David Ige. “Utilizing technology like the thermal temperature screening and facial imaging equipment will also add efficiency to the passenger verification process and bring Hawaii closer to reaching the new normal at our airports.”

Phase 1 and Phase 2, completed in 2020, installed thermal screening cameras at all arrival gates to screen passengers as they deplane an aircraft. Those detected with a core body temperature of 100.4 degrees and higher will now have their image taken. The image will be available for airport representatives to identify and notify persons as they approach the nearest monitoring control room located in the airport terminal. If a manual temperature check confirms the initial temperature reading, the passenger will have an additional medical screening which includes the option to have a COVID-19 sample taken.

“We believe combining our world-class technology with local Hawaii businesses has proven to be the right approach to addressing this difficult digital transformation challenge,” said Toshifumi Yoshizaki, executive vice president, NEC Corporation. “The innovation resulting from the project has contributed to the state’s ability to continue accepting trans-Pacific flights while reducing the potential risk for infection.”

“With the completion of Phase III, HDOT can feel confident in the measures taken to protect the health and safety of its travelers and residents as tourism revives in the state,” said Raffie Beroukhim, chief experience officer for NEC Corporation of America. “We are incredibly proud of NEC’s ability to successfully complete all three phases on time and on budget, and are honored to provide the technology solutions that help bring tourism and air travel in the state of Hawaii closer to the new normal.”

Any images collected will remain anonymous, meaning no traveler’s image will be connected to personal information, such as a traveler’s name, address or driver’s license number. It will not contain information about criminal history or outstanding warrants. The image will be deleted within 30 minutes and will not be shared with any outside agencies. Individuals with a temperature of 100.3 degrees and lower will not have their image taken at all.

The use of the thermal screening and facial imaging technology is safer and more cost effective than manual temperature checks. Without the technology, employees would need to be stationed at each gate for every arriving flight to individually take the passenger’s temperature one by one, which takes longer, increases risk of exposure and requires additional funding and resources. With this technology, an employee can simultaneously monitor multiple gates from a control room in an efficient and safe manner.