WO2022038069A1

WO2022038069A1 - A system for determining a contaminating fluid

Info

Publication number: WO2022038069A1
Application number: PCT/EP2021/072667
Authority: WO
Inventors: Harry Broers; Evren ÖZCAN
Original assignee: Signify Holding B.V.
Priority date: 2020-08-18
Filing date: 2021-08-16
Publication date: 2022-02-24

Abstract

Hygiene monitoring is relevant to cope with contamination, such as e.g. infectious diseases like Influenza and COVID-19 spreading. The invention provides: a system for determining a contaminating fluid on a surface, wherein the system comprises: a first sensor configured to detect an indicator associated with a contaminating fluid; a thermal imaging sensor; a controller configured to control the thermal imaging sensor to start detecting the contaminating fluid on the surface when the first sensor detects the indicator, and to determine the contaminating fluid on the surface.

Description

A SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING A CONTAMINATING FLUID

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a system for determining a contaminating fluid on a surface, wherein the system comprises a first sensor, a thermal imaging sensor and a controller. The invention further relates to a method of determining a contaminating fluid on a surface, and a related computer program product. The invention further relates to said controller. The invention further relates to a lighting device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The COVID-19 pandemic has been shaking the world in 2020. However, health and wellbeing of people has been contested periodically with other viruses and bacteria outbreaks, such as for example the seasonal symptomatic influenza A/B outbreak, SARS and MERS. Future outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics are not excluded.

Despite vaccination campaigns, the percentage of people affected with seasonal symptomatic influenza is on average around 10% in most western countries. The economic burden associated with office-out patients may thereby run into many billions of dollars. The number of days of productivity lost may run into many millions of working days.

Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic has already shown that it may cause economic recession, while seasonal symptomatic influenza has proven to be an economic burden, while even further new diseases loom inevitably on the horizon.

Therefore, to prevent economic loss and improve health of people, a clear need exists for health and wellbeing in the office domain and in the public space. Thereby, hygiene measures, such as hygiene monitoring, play an important role. The same may also apply to the agricultural domain, in which virus outbreaks may be even more common (such as e.g. bird flu).

Hygiene monitoring may be performed with thermal imagining sensors that detect whether objects have been touched by people. Detecting areas that are touched by occupants is for example described in application WO2018054831A1. Thermal imaging sensors may also be suitable to detect the presence of fluids. However, a disadvantage is that thermal imaging sensors cannot clearly differentiate between fluids. For example, a droplet of saliva, a droplet of blood, and a droplet of water may be detected as a same droplet of fluid, while the former two may be infectious and the latter not.

Even further, thermal imaging sensors can only detect fluids (e.g. droplets with a virus) during a limited time window before the fluid has reached thermal equilibrium with the environment. Here, reaching thermal equilibrium may mean that the fluid reaches the same temperature as the ambient and may become indistinguishable. Therefore, a problem exists in that the thermal imaging sensor cannot detect the fluids anymore, while a particular location may still be contaminated and infectious.

Namely, studies have shown that COVID-19 has a lifespan of 5 days on metal, glass and ceramics; 4 days on wood; 2 to 3 days on plastics and stainless steel; and 1 day on cardboard. This also applies to Influenza and cold viruses. Influenza can for example survive 1-2 days on hard surfaces, while cold viruses only survive a few hours up to a day.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a system, which at least alleviates the problems and disadvantages mentioned above. Thereto, the invention provides a system for determining a contaminating fluid on a surface, wherein the system comprises: a first sensor configured to detect an indicator associated with a contaminating fluid and indicative of an act of excretion; wherein the contaminating fluid is at least one of: snot, saliva, sweat, feces, blood, urine, vomit, breath, aerosol; wherein the act of excretion comprises at least one of: a cough, a sneeze, a snuffle, a spit, a vomit, a urination, a defecation; a thermal imaging sensor; a memory; a controller configured to control the thermal imaging sensor to start detecting the contaminating fluid on the surface within a period of time upon when the first sensor detects the indicator, so as to determine the contaminating fluid on the surface; wherein said period of time is at most one second; wherein the controller is configured to determine a location of the contaminating fluid on the surface and to store said location in the memory.

The first sensor, the thermal imaging sensor and the controller are operationally coupled and in interaction with each other (i.e. e.g. exchanging information and signals). The first sensor detects the indicator associated with the contaminating fluid. The indicator may for example be the sound of a sneeze. The indicator alone may not be sufficient to derive whether a contaminating fluid originating from said sneeze may contaminate the surface. However, the thermal imaging sensor is able to detect the contaminating fluid on the surface. The thermal imaging sensor may thereby comprise a Field-of-View to the surface. According to the invention, the controller controls the thermal imaging sensor to start detecting the contaminating fluid on the surface when (or: after, or: upon) the first sensor detects the indicator associated with the contaminating fluid. Hence, the first sensor ‘triggers’ the thermal imaging sensor to start detecting the contaminating fluid on the surface, and this (arrangement) enables the controller to determine the contaminating fluid on the surface. The monitoring of the contaminating fluid is therefore timed correctly, thereby resolving the problems and disadvantages mentioned above.

As mentioned, the controller may be configured to control the thermal imaging sensor to start detecting the contaminating fluid on the surface after the first sensor detects the indicator. As mentioned, the controller may be configured to control the thermal imaging sensor to start detecting the contaminating fluid on the surface upon the first sensor detects the indicator. The controller may also be configured to turn the thermal imaging sensor on so as to start detecting the contaminating fluid on the surface. The thermal imaging sensor may be arranged for monitoring the surface. Said detecting may alternatively be phrased as ‘recognizing’ or ‘classifying’ or ‘characterizing’ throughout.

Said start detecting may namely alternatively mean that the thermal imaging sensor is already monitoring the surface, but the controller starts recognizing (or: classifying, or: characterizing) the contaminating fluid as the contaminating fluid when the first sensor detects the indicator.

The contaminating fluid may reach thermal equilibrium with the environment (i.e. e.g. the surface) within a period of time after the contaminating fluid is created and/or excreted onto the surface. The contaminating fluid may therefore become invisible for the thermal imaging sensor, while the contaminating fluid may still remain infectious and present on the surface. Therefore, it may be advantageous to start detecting the contaminating fluid within a sufficiently short time window after (or: upon) the first sensor detects the indicator. Hence, as mentioned, the controller may be configured to control the thermal imaging sensor to start detecting the contaminating fluid on the surface within a period of time after the first sensor detects the indicator. Said period of time may alternatively be at most ten seconds, preferably said period of time may be at most five seconds. More preferably said period of time may be at most one second. A longer period of time may facilitate arrangements in which sensor data of the first sensor may need to be transmitted and processed so as to detect the indicator. Said period of time may alternatively be at most halve a second or a tenth of a second. The differentiation of each particular contaminating fluid that is being excreted in time may also be improved by such a period of time. Moreover, said period of time may be at most twenty seconds, or at most ten seconds, or at most 2 seconds; such period of time may be advantageous to allow detecting the contaminating fluid if it further disperses after being excreted.

The contaminating fluid may be phrased as infectious fluid throughout the present application. Alternatively, said contaminating fluid may be defined as a contaminating liquid or infectious liquid. As mentioned, the contaminating fluid may at least be one of: snot, saliva, sweat, feces, blood, urine, vomit, breath, aerosol, nasal fluid. Such contaminating fluids may host viruses and bacteria, which may be infectious. Such contaminating fluids may alternatively and/or additionally host a fungus or microbes suitable for causing a disease. Yet alternatively, said contaminating fluid may be acid rain.

The thermal imaging sensor may detect the presence of such contaminating fluids due to their thermal characteristics (or: fingerprint). Namely, the contaminating fluids may render a noticeable thermal difference relative to the environment (i.e. being at ambient temperature). For example, urine drops (which temperature is decaying from body temperature to ambient temperature) on the surface of a toilet seat (being at ambient temperature) may be visible to a thermal imaging sensor due to their temperature difference relative to the environment. The same may apply to touching a tabletop with a sweaty palm of a hand, which renders a mark of sweat that may be detected with the thermal imaging sensor. More of such examples are known in the art.

In an embodiment, the first sensor is a microphone, and wherein the indicator is a sound of an act of excretion; wherein the act of excretion may comprise at least one of: a cough, a sneeze, a snuffle, a spit, a vomit, a urination, a defecation. Such acts of excretion may render a contaminating fluid according to the invention. Moreover, a microphone may advantageously detect a sound of such an act of excretion. Such a sound may comprise a characteristic soundscape belonging to the act of excretion, and therefore detectable by the microphone and determinable via sound analysis, as known in the art. The microphone and/or the controller may comprise an audio analysis module to analyze said sound and determine said act of excretion, thereby detecting the indicator.

Considering the implementation of the present invention in a healthcare facility, such as a dentist or hospital, the sound may e.g. be at least one of: sound of surgery, sound of a drill, sound of a medical equipment, sound of a suction device, etc.

In an embodiment, the first sensor may be a volatile organic component (VOC) sensor, and wherein the indicator is an volatile organic component of an act of excretion; wherein the act of excretion may comprise at least one of: a cough, a sneeze, a snuffle, a spit, a vomit, a urination, a defecation. In an embodiment, the first sensor may be an ammonia sensor, and wherein the indicator is an volatile organic component of an act of excretion; wherein the act of excretion may comprise at least one of a vomit, a urination, a defecation.

In an embodiment, the first sensor may be a body -worn sensor. Such a body- worn sensor may be advantageous in detecting the indicator associated with a contaminating fluid, as a contaminating fluid may commonly originate from a body. For example, said body-worn sensor may be a microphone comprised in a necklace that detects the sound of a cough or sneeze. For example, said body -worn sensor may be a smart glass detecting the movement of a sneezing head, so as to detect a sneeze. The first sensor may also be a portable sensor. For example, said first sensor may be a microphone comprised in a smartphone, so as to detect an act of excretion. For example, said first sensor may be a camera comprised in a smartphone, so as to detect a facial expression indicative of an act of excretion, such as e.g. sneezing or spitting.

In an alternative embodiment, the first sensor may be a radiofrequency -based sensing sensor, and wherein the indicator may be a body movement indicative of an act of excretion; wherein the act of excretion may comprise at least one of a cough, a sneeze, a snuffle, a spit, a vomit, a urination, a defecation. Such an embodiment may be advantageous, because radiofrequency based sensing may already be in place within an office or an agricultural facility.

In an alternative embodiment, the first sensor may be one of a Time-of-Flight sensor, a 2D radar, a thermal camera; and wherein the indicator may be a body posture indicative of an act of excretion; wherein the act of excretion comprises at least one of a cough, a sneeze, a snuffle, a spit, a vomit, a urination, a defecation.

As mentioned, the controller may be configured to determine the contaminating fluid on the surface. The surface may therefore be contaminated. Further actions may be induced by the controller. Hence, in an embodiment, the controller may be configured to control an electrical device after (or: upon, or: when) determining the contaminating fluid on the surface. Such an embodiment may mitigate the disadvantages associated with the contaminating fluid being determined on the surface by (subsequently) controlling an electrical device. For example, in an embodiment, the electrical device may be a disinfection device; wherein the controller is configured to control the disinfection device to disinfect the surface. Such a disinfection device may for example be a lighting device, a UV disinfection device, or a cleaning robot. The electrical device may alternatively be a notification device, such as a lighting device or a speaker, which may convey the determination of the contaminating fluid on the surface to relevant stakeholders (e.g. office workers, office cleaners, etc.) or a backend (e.g. a building management device, or cleaning server).

As mentioned before, the thermal imaging sensor may thereby comprise a Field-of-View to the surface. The thermal imaging sensor comprises a spatial (imaging) resolution. Therefore, in an embodiment, the controller may be configured to determine a location of the contaminating fluid on the surface. The system may thus render spatial details about the determined contaminating fluid on the surface.

Moreover, in a further embodiment, the system may comprise a memory; wherein the controller may be configured to store said location in the memory. Said memory may be a local memory comprised by the controller, or an external memory accessible by the controller. This is advantageous, because the thermal imaging sensor starts detecting the contaminating fluid at the correct moment in time. The present invention thereby enables to store the location of the contaminating fluid on the surface before the contaminating fluid becomes invisible to the thermal imaging sensor due to reaching thermal equilibrium with the environment (i.e. the contaminating fluid reaching the same temperature as the surface and/or the ambient). Hence, even if the contaminating fluid is no longer detectable by the thermal imaging sensor, the present invention still advantageously enables that the location of an infectious contaminating fluid is stored and known.

Moreover, in a further embodiment, the thermal imaging sensor may be configured to detect a cleaning action at a cleaning location on the surface; wherein the controller may be configured to delete the stored location in the memory if the cleaning location matches the stored location. Hence, after a cleaning action being detected that matches the stored location, the cleaned location is considered decontaminated, and no longer requires to be stored.

In an embodiment, the further device may be at least one of: a disinfection device, a lighting device, a lighting controller, a switch, an ionizer, a heater, a cleaning robot, a cleaning drone, a speaker, a fan, a user interaction device, a building management system, a room reservation system, a remote server, a smartphone, a tablet, a smart wearable device, an augmented reality device, an indoor positioning server, an electronic door or window.

In an embodiment, the further device may be a disinfection device; wherein the controller may be configured to control the disinfection device to disinfect at least a part of the surface after determining the location of the contaminating fluid on the surface, wherein said part of the surface comprises said location; wherein the disinfection device is at least one of: a lighting device, an ionizer, a heater, a cleaning robot, a cleaning drone.

Since a lighting system may structurally cover a space with a plurality of lighting devices, it may be advantageous to monitor health and wellbeing in such a space with sensors associated with said lighting devices. Said space may e.g. be an office, an agricultural facility, a retail environment, an industrial plant, or even an outdoor space covered by outdoor lighting. The surface may e.g. be a floor, a wall, a ceiling, a tabletop, a furniture, a desk, a seat, a handle, a door, a road, a square, a terrace, a deck, a bonnet, a machine surface, etc.

Hence, in an embodiment, the system may comprise a lighting device; wherein the lighting device comprises at least one of the first sensor, the thermal imaging sensor and the controller. In a further embodiment, the lighting device may be arranged for illuminating the surface; wherein the controller may be configured to control the lighting device to illuminate the surface with a lighting characteristic after determining the contaminating fluid on the surface. The lighting device may therefore be a luminaire, a lamp, a spot, a strip, a streetlight, a poster box, a vehicle light, etc.

In aspects, the controller may be configured to control the lighting device based on the location of the contaminating fluid on the surface. In an embodiment, the lighting device is an outdoor luminaire. The first sensor may be part of a sensor bundle that may be fixedly or detachably embedded in a lighting device.

In an embodiment, the lighting characteristic may be at least one of: a light intensity, a light color, a light color temperature, a light pattern, a light modulation, a light scene, a light recipe, a spectrum of light comprising UV light, a spectrum of light comprising UV-A light, a spectrum of light comprising UV-B light, a spectrum of light comprising UV- C light.

Such lighting characteristics may be suitable for notification of the contaminating fluid. Said spectra of said lighting characteristics may moreover be used to disinfect surfaces from viruses, bacteria, fungi, microbes, contaminants; or at least mitigate their contaminating effects. Such lighting characteristics may for example also visualize the contaminating fluid. For example: Urine may contain phosphor that may be visualized with the use of UV light. This facilitates cleaning actions to clean the urine. Similar examples may be envisioned with other contaminating fluids, such as visualizing blood and saliva with illumination. Furthermore, said lighting characteristic may also comprise a light modulation. The light modulation may be Visible Light Communication. That is: the light modulation may convey a code embedded in the light itself. Hence, in aspects, the lighting characteristic may comprise a light modulation indicative of an identifier. This identifier may be a unique identifier. The identifier may be indicative of the detected contaminating fluid. Hence, the lighting device may ‘tag’ the surface with a modulated light signal. This may facilitate cleaners to clean the parts of the surface where said modulated light signal is detected. The cleaners may use a standard camera of light diode to detect the lighting characteristic via Visible Light Communication. Similarly Li-Fi may be used. Hence, the lighting characteristic may comprise a light modulation being Li-Fi.

Moreover, in aspects, the lighting characteristic may alternatively or additionally be at least one of: a spectrum of light comprising near infrared. Namely: Some kinds of bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, change these molecules into negatively charged ions. When zapped with near-infrared light, the ions absorb the light and heat their surroundings, killing the bacteria.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved controller, which at least alleviates the problems and disadvantages mentioned above. Thereto, the invention further provides a controller configured to control a thermal imaging sensor to start detecting a contaminating fluid on a surface when the controller determines that a first sensor detects an indicator associated with a contaminating fluid, and to determine the contaminating fluid on the surface. The controller may further comprise a transceiver to obtain data from the first sensor and the thermal imaging sensor. The advantages and/or embodiments applying to the system according to the invention may also apply mutatis mutandis to the controller according to the invention.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved lighting device, which at least alleviates the problems and disadvantages mentioned above. Thereto, the invention further provides a lighting device comprising the system according to the invention. The invention may therefore provide a lighting device comprising a light source, a first sensor configured to detect an indicator associated with a contaminating fluid; a thermal imaging sensor; a controller configured to control the thermal imaging sensor to start detecting the contaminating fluid on the surface when the first sensor detects the indicator, and to determine the contaminating fluid on the surface. The controller may be configured to control the light source to illuminate the surface based on determining the contaminating fluid on the surface, and/or determining a location of the contaminating fluid on the surface. The advantages and/or embodiments applying to the system according to the invention may also apply mutatis mutandis to the lighting device according to the invention.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved method, which at least alleviates the problems and disadvantages mentioned above. Thereto, the invention further provides a method of determining a contaminating fluid on a surface, wherein the method comprises: detecting with a first sensor an indicator associated with a contaminating fluid and indicative of an act of excretion; wherein the contaminating fluid is at least one of: snot, saliva, sweat, feces, blood, urine, vomit, breath, aerosol; wherein the act of excretion comprises at least one of: a cough, a sneeze, a snuffle, a spit, a vomit, a urination, a defecation; controlling a thermal imaging sensor to start detecting the contaminating fluid on the surface within a period of time upon when the first sensor detects the indicator, wherein said period of time is at most one second; determining the contaminating fluid on the surface. The advantages and/or embodiments applying to the system according to the invention may also apply mutatis mutandis to the method according to the invention.

The method further comprises: determining a location of the contaminating fluid on the surface; storing said location in a memory. In a further embodiment, the method may comprise: detecting a cleaning action at a cleaning location on the surface; deleting the stored location in the memory if the cleaning location matches the stored location. In an embodiment, the method may comprise: conveying the location of the contaminating fluid on the surface to a further device; and/or controlling a further device based on the location of the contaminating fluid on the surface.

The invention further relates to a computer program product. Hence, the invention provides a computer program product for a computing device, the computer program product comprising computer program code to perform a method according to the invention when the computer program product is run on a processing unit of the computing device.

Thus, aspects of the invention may be implemented in a computer program product, which may be a collection of computer program instructions stored on a computer readable storage device which may be executed by a computer. The instructions of the present invention may be in any interpretable or executable code mechanism, including but not limited to scripts, interpretable programs, dynamic link libraries (DLLs) or Java classes. The instructions can be provided as complete executable programs, partial executable programs, as modifications to existing programs (e.g. updates) or extensions for existing programs (e.g. plugins). Moreover, parts of the processing of the present invention may be distributed over multiple computers or processors.

In further aspects, the invention provides a system for determining a contaminating fluid on a surface, wherein the system comprises: a first sensor configured to detect an indicator associated with a contaminating fluid; a thermal imaging sensor; a controller configured to classify data of the thermal imaging sensor as the contaminating fluid on the surface when the first sensor detects the indicator, and to determine the contaminating fluid on the surface. Said classifying may be at least partly performed at an external device, or a remote part of the controller. The advantages and/or embodiments applying to the system according to the object of the invention may also apply mutatis mutandis to this further aspect according to the invention.

In yet further aspects, the invention provides a system for determining a contaminating fluid on a surface, wherein the system comprises: a first sensor configured to detect an indicator associated with a contaminating fluid; a thermal imaging sensor for detecting a fluid on the surface; a controller configured to classify the detected fluid on the surface as the contaminating fluid on the surface when the first sensor detects the indicator, and to determine the contaminating fluid on the surface. Said classifying may be at least partly performed at an external device, or a remote part of the controller. The advantages and/or embodiments applying to the system according to the object of the invention may also apply mutatis mutandis to this yet further aspect according to the invention.

In yet further aspects, the invention provides a system for determining a contaminating fluid on a surface, wherein the system comprises: a first sensor configured to detect an indicator associated with a contaminating fluid; a thermal imaging sensor for monitoring the surface and for providing a thermal imaging sensor data; a controller configured to obtain the thermal imaging sensor data, and to determine, in the thermal imaging sensor data, the contaminating fluid on the surface when the first sensor detects the indicator. The advantages and/or embodiments applying to the system according to the object of the invention may also apply mutatis mutandis to this yet further aspect according to the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be further elucidated by means of the schematic nonlimiting drawings: Fig. 1 depicts schematically an embodiment of a system according to the invention;

Fig. 2 depicts schematically an embodiment of a lighting device comprising the system according to the invention;

Fig. 3 depicts schematically an embodiment of a method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 depicts schematically, by non-limiting example, an embodiment of a system 10 according to the invention. The system 10 is arranged for determining a contaminating fluid 1 on a surface 2. The system 10 is present in a space. The space is being used by persons, of which some may comprise an infectious disease, such as CO VID-19. Thus, there is a clear need to monitor hygiene in said space by monitoring for contaminating fluids excreted by the persons in said space. The contaminating fluid may alternatively be phrased as infectious fluid. Here, the contaminating fluid 1 is snot (or phrased differently: nasal fluid) of a person, but may in alternative examples be at least one of saliva, blood, snot, sweat, feces, urine, vomit, breath, aerosol.

Here, the space is an office, but may alternatively be any other indoor or outdoor environment, such as e.g. an agricultural facility, a retail environment, a shopping mall, a hospital, a room, a house, an industrial plant, a play area, a garden, a terrace, etc. Here, the surface 2 is a tabletop of a desk, but may alternatively be a floor, a wall, a ceiling, a sink, a seat, a furniture, a bed, a keypad, a window, a door, a handle, a road, a tile, etc.

The system 10 comprises a first sensor 3. The first sensor 3 is a microphone suitable for detecting sounds in the space. The microphone 3 is configured to detect an indicator 4 associated with the contaminating fluid 1. The indicator 4 is a sound of an act of excretion, namely the sound of a cough and/or a sneeze. The microphone 3 detects the sound 4 of the cough and/or sneeze in the space. Alternatively, the first sensor may be a volatile organic component (VOC) sensor, and wherein the indicator is an volatile organic component of an act of excretion; wherein the act of excretion comprises at least one of: a cough, a sneeze, a snuffle, a spit, a vomit, a urination, a defecation.

The system 10 further comprises a thermal imaging sensor 5. The thermal imaging sensor 5 comprises a Field-of-View, in which the surface 2 is comprised, i.e. the tabletop of the desk that is being monitored. The thermal imaging sensor 5 is able to detect the contaminating fluid 1 on the surface due to its thermal characteristics (or: fingerprint). Namely, the contaminating fluid 1 may render a noticeable thermal difference relative to the environment (i.e. the surface 2 and the ambient space). The working of a thermal imaging sensor is known in the art.

The system 10 further comprises a controller 6, which is operatively coupled to the first sensor 3 (i.e. microphone) and the thermal imaging sensor 5. The controller 6 is connected to the first sensor 3 (i.e. microphone) and the thermal imaging sensor 5 by a wired connection, but may alternatively be connected via a wireless connection, such as ZigBee, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, VLC, Li-Fi, Lo-Ra, IR, RF, etc.

The controller 6 controls the thermal imaging sensor 5 to start detecting the contaminating fluid 1 on the surface 2 when the microphone 3 (i.e. the first sensor) detects the sound 4 (i.e. the indicator) of the cough and/or sneeze in the space. The controller may also for example be configured to turn the thermal imaging sensor on so as to start detecting the contaminating fluid on the surface. Turning on may mean to turn to an operational state of on (or: actively detecting). Alternatively, the thermal imaging sensor may for example already been monitoring the surface, but upon the first sensor detecting the sound, the contaminating fluid is started to being detected. This may alternatively be phrased as the controller ‘start recognizing’ the contaminating fluid. Nevertheless, the controller 6 thereby determines the contaminating fluid 1 on the surface 2. The microphone 3 and/or the controller 6 may comprise an audio analysis module to determine the indicator 4 being associated with the contaminating fluid 1.

More specifically, in embodiments, the controller controls the thermal imaging sensor 5 to start detecting the contaminating fluid 1 on the surface 2 within a period of time after the microphone 3 (i.e. the first sensor) detects the sound 4 (i.e. the indicator). Here, this period of time is at most one second, but may alternatively be at most 10 seconds, at most 2 seconds, at most halve a second, at most a tenth of a second.

Hence, the first sensor 3 ‘triggers’ the thermal imaging sensor 5 to start detecting the contaminating fluid 1 on the surface 2, and this (arrangement) enables the controller 6 to determine the contaminating fluid 1 on the surface 2. The monitoring of the contaminating fluid 1 is therefore timed correctly, thereby resolving the problems of characterizing the detected fluid as a contaminating fluid.

In a further embodiment, not depicted, the controller is configured to control an electrical device after determining the contaminating fluid on the surface, wherein the electrical device may e.g. be a disinfection device. The controller may then control the disinfection device to disinfect the surface after (or: upon) determining the contaminating fluid on the surface. For example, the disinfection device may be a lighting device emitting a lighting characteristic comprising light in the UV spectrum, a cleaning robot, or an ionizer in the space.

Since the thermal imaging sensor 5 comprises a spatial resolution, i.e. e.g. pixels, the controller 6 also determines the location 7 of the contaminating fluid 1 on the surface 2. Still referring to figure 1, the system 10 comprises a memory 8. The memory 8 is an external memory 8 in communication with the controller 6, but may alternatively be a memory of the controller 6 itself. The controller 6 stores the location 7 in the memory 8 upon determining said location. Therefore, even if the contaminating fluid 1 becomes invisible to the thermal imaging sensor 5 due to reaching thermal equilibrium with the environment (i.e. the contaminating fluid reaching the same temperature as the surface 2 and/or the ambient), the contaminated locations on the surface 2 may still be known. Other devices may be allowed to poll the memory 8 to retrieve this information, such as user interaction devices, cleaning servers or cleaning robots. Hence, the controller 6 is configured to convey the location 7 of the contaminating fluid 1 on the surface 2 to a further device. The controller 6 may also be configured to control such a further device based on the location 7 of the contaminating fluid 1 on the surface 2.

Here, the controller 6 stores the location 7 of the contaminating fluid 1 on the surface 2 in the memory 8 upon determining said location 7. A further device being a cleaning robot accesses the memory 8 and retrieves the location 7 of the contaminating fluid 1 on the surface 2. Therefore, the controller 6 conveys the location 7 of the contaminating fluid 1 on the surface 2 to the cleaning robot via the memory 8. The cleaning robot may subsequently put the surface 2 on its cleaning schedule or routine, since the surface 2 is contaminated with the contaminating fluid 1. This may render a cleaning action at a cleaning location on the surface 2. Namely, the cleaning robot disinfects at least a part of the surface 2 after the controller 6 determining the location 7 of the contaminating fluid 1 on the surface 2, wherein the part of the surface comprises said location 7.

The thermal imaging sensor detects the cleaning action at the cleaning location of the cleaning robot. The controller 6 determines such a cleaning action, and the controller 6 deletes the stored location 7 of the contaminating fluid 1 on the surface 2 if the cleaning location of the cleaning robot matches the stored location 7, because after cleaning the location 7 is no longer contaminated or infectious.

The further device may alternatively be at least one of a disinfection device, a lighting device, a lighting controller, a switch, an ionizer, a heater, a cleaning drone, a speaker, a fan, a user interaction device, a building management system, a room reservation system, a remote server, a smartphone, a tablet, a smart wearable device, an augmented reality device, an indoor positioning server, an electronic door or window. For example: a lighting device, a heater, an ionizer, a cleaning robot, a cleaning drone may be suitable for cleaning and/or disinfecting the surface and/or locations on said surface. A fan may increase ventilation in the space with fresh air, thereby improving hygiene and reducing changes of infection. Such a fan may also disperse ionized air better for cleaning surfaces in the space. For example: a user interaction device, a building management device, a room reservation system, a remote server, a smartphone, a tablet, a smart wearable device, an augmented reality device, an indoor positioning server may visualize or indicate a contaminated surface, or register a contaminated surface, so as to prevent people to come in vicinity or contact therewith, or at least have a notion of it. For example: the further device may be an electronic door, which may either be opened to ventilate the room after a contaminating fluid has been determined on (a location of) the surface, or closed (unidirectionally) to prevent (more) people to enter the space to prevent (further) contamination.

Hence, the effect of the invention is that the thermal imaging sensor is triggered at the right moment in time, such that the infected locations on the surface are captured well before the unhygienic and/or infectious contaminating (body) fluids thermally disappear from being detected. Moreover, unhygienic contaminating fluids may be distinguishably detected, since the detection occurs after detecting said indicator. Additionally, the controller stores these locations in the memory. The advantage is that infected locations on the surface may still be known, even though the thermal imaging sensor cannot detect these locations anymore with the contaminating fluid, and does not annotate them as being unhygienic, infectious or contaminating due to said disappearance from detection.

Figure 2 depicts schematically an embodiment of a lighting device 20 comprising a system according to the invention. The lighting device 20 comprises a controller 26, a first sensor 23, a thermal imaging sensor 25 and a light source 28. The lighting device 20 is arranged for determining a contaminating fluid 21 on a surface 22.

The lighting device 20 is installed in a library above a table. Here, the surface of the table is the surface 22 on which the contaminating fluid 21 is being determined. Said library may alternatively be any other indoor or outdoor space. For example, said indoor space may be a meat processing facility with workers processing meat on tables. The lighting device may thus alternatively be an outdoor luminaire. Visitors of the library may read literature or perform other activities in relation to said table. As a library is a public space, some visitors may comprise an infectious disease, such as Influenza. Thus, there is a clear need to monitor hygiene in said library by monitoring for contaminating fluids excreted by the visitors of said library, and in particular in relation to said table with which visitors come in contact with. The contaminating fluid may alternatively be phrased as infectious fluid. Here, the contaminating fluid 22 is snot (or phrased differently: nasal fluid) of a visitor, but may in alternative examples be at least one of saliva, blood, snot, sweat, feces, urine, vomit, breath, aerosol.

The light source 28 of the lighting device 20 is arranged for illuminating the surface 22 of the table with a lighting characteristic. The lighting characteristic may be at least one of: a light intensity, a light color, a light color temperature, a light pattern, a light modulation, a light scene, a light recipe, a spectrum of light comprising UV light, a spectrum of light comprising UV-A light, a spectrum of light comprising UV-B light, a spectrum of light comprising UV-C light.

The first sensor 23 of the lighting device 20 is a microphone suitable for detecting sounds in the library. The first sensor 23 is embedded in a housing of the lighting device 20. The first sensor 23 may also be part of a sensor bundle that may be fixedly or detachably embedded in the lighting device 20. The microphone 23 is configured to detect an indicator 24 associated with the contaminating fluid 21. The indicator 24 is a sound of an act of excretion, namely the sound of a cough and/or a sneeze. The microphone 23 detects the sound 24 of the cough and/or sneeze in the library.

The controller 26 of the lighting device 20 is operatively coupled to the first sensor 23 (i.e. microphone) and the thermal imaging sensor 25, and the light source 28 via a wired connection. The controller 26 controls the thermal imaging sensor 25 and the light source 28 accordingly. The controller 26 may also comprise computational power to perform audio analysis in an audio analysis module, in which sounds detected by the microphone 23 are determined. Such computations may also be performed by a local controller in the microphone itself.

According to the invention, the controller 26 controls the thermal imaging sensor 25 to start detecting the contaminating fluid 21 on the surface 22 when the microphone 23 (i.e. the first sensor) detects the sound 24 (i.e. the indicator) of the cough and/or sneeze in the library. The controller 26 may also be configured to turn the thermal imaging sensor 25 on so as to start detecting the contaminating fluid 21 on the surface 22. The controller 26 thereby determines the contaminating fluid 21 on the surface 22. Hence, the first sensor 23 ‘triggers’ the thermal imaging sensor 25 to start detecting the contaminating fluid 21 on the surface 22, and this (arrangement) enables the controller 26 to determine the contaminating fluid 21 on the surface 22. The monitoring of the contaminating fluid 21 is therefore timed correctly, thereby resolving the problems of characterizing the detected fluid as a contaminating fluid.

The controller 26 further controls the light source 28 of the lighting device 20 (thus the lighting device 20) to illuminate the surface 22 with a particular lighting characteristic 29 after determining the contaminating fluid 21 on the surface 22. For example, the particular lighting characteristic 29 may be an indicatory light, such as an intensity, color, color temperature, modulation, pattern or light scene. Such an indicatory light may indicate that the surface 22 is being contaminated by a contaminating fluid 21. For example, the particular lighting characteristic 29 may be a spectrum of light comprising UV light, so as to disinfect the surface 22.

In other embodiments, not depicted, the controller may also determine a location of the contaminating fluid on the surface, because the thermal imaging sensor comprises spatial resolution to perform this. The controller thereby comprises a local memory. The controller stores the location of the contaminating fluid on the surface in the memory upon determining said location. Therefore, even if the contaminating fluid becomes invisible to the thermal imaging sensor due to reaching thermal equilibrium with the environment (i.e. the contaminating fluid reaching the same temperature as the surface and/or the ambient), the contaminated locations on the surface may still be known. The controller may therefore control the light source of the lighting device to indicate (or: highlight) the contaminating fluid on the surface or to disinfect the contaminating fluid on the surface after a period of time of determining said contaminating fluid on the surface. For example, the controller may await until the table in the library is cleared before turning the disinfecting illumination on. In such a case, for those purposes, the lighting device may also optionally comprise a presence detector, wherein the thermal imaging sensor may also serve as this presence detector.

Referring to figure 1 and figure 2, in alternative embodiments, not depicted, the first sensor may also be radiofrequency-based sensing sensor, and wherein the indicator is a body movement indicative of an act of excretion; wherein the act of excretion comprises at least one of a cough, a sneeze, a snuffle, a spit, a vomit, a urination, a defecation. The first sensor may alternatively be a body worn sensor. The embodiment depicted in figure 1 and/or figure 2 may mutatis mutandis apply to the outdoor domain as well, wherein the system may be applied in relation to an outdoor surface. The system may advantageously determine a contaminating fluid on said outdoor surface by detecting e.g. coughing and/or sneezing, and trigger the thermal imaging sensor to capture and store the locations of the (unhygienic) contaminating fluid on the affected outdoor surfaces. These outdoor surfaces may for example be doors, windows, tourniquets, ATM machines, park benches, children playgrounds, etc.

Other examples may be envisioned similarly to the embodiments depicted in figure 1 and figure 2. These examples describe hygiene monitoring in various contexts with the systems, apparatuses, and methods according to the invention.

For example, in a first aspect: The present invention may be applied to (public) bathrooms. The thermal imaging sensor thereby observes a surface of a bathroom floor, an urinal, a toilet, a sink, a washbasin, or a door handle. This surface may be contaminated with a contaminating fluid, such as e.g. snot, saliva, blood, snot, sweat, feces, urine, vomit, breath, aerosol. The thermal imaging sensor detects this contaminating fluid. For example, urination droplets initially have a higher temperature and subsequently a lower temperature (due to evaporation) than the floor. After reaching thermal equilibrium with the environment, such droplets may not be distinguishably visible anymore to the thermal imaging sensor, but the germs, microbes, bacteria or viruses contained in the urine may still survive for longer durations. The same may apply to body fluids distributed due to coughing or sneezing.

The invention provides a controller, a first sensor, and said thermal imaging sensor. The first sensor may alternatively be a body worn sensor, which may be in communication with the controller. The controller controls the thermal imaging sensor to (e.g. turn on to an operational mode and) start detecting the contaminating fluid on the surface when the first sensor detects an indicator associated with the contaminating fluid, so as to determine the contaminating fluid on the surface. This indicator may for example be a sound of an act of excretion of the contaminating fluid that is detected by the first sensor. Thereby, the first sensor is a microphone. Said sound may e.g. be the sound of peeing, defecating, sneezing, spitting, vomiting or coughing, etc. The first sensor may alternatively be a camera, a radiofrequency based sensor, a body worn sensor, or a movement sensor, etc. As a result, the controller determines the contaminating fluid on the surface, and may moreover determine the location of the contaminating fluid on the surface. This location may also be stored. The controller may also convey the location of the determined contamination fluid on the surface to an electrical device, such as e.g. a disinfection device or e.g. a user interaction device like a smartphone, or a server device like a building management server, booking server or cleaning server. The controller may also control a lighting device in said bathroom, so as to either indicate or disinfect the surface with the contaminating fluid.

Moreover, the thermal imaging sensor may observe a washbasin. Saliva may be excreted onto a surface of the washbasin. The saliva initially has a higher temperature and may later disappear from being detected by the thermal imaging sensor after reaching thermal equilibrium with the surface and/or the environment, while contagious elements in the saliva may still survive for longer durations, such as e.g. COVID-19 virus. The same may apply to body fluids distributed due to coughing or sneezing. The thermal imaging sensor may also detect, and the controller may determine, a cleaning action of the washbasin. For example, water flow over a significant part of the washbasin for a certain duration may classify a cleaning action of the washbasin. This is known in the art. The cleaned area of the washbasin can match the location of the saliva, thereby concluding that the washbasin has been cleaned from said contamination fluid. A corresponding stored location of the contamination fluid in the memory mentioned before may thus be deleted accordingly.

For example, in a second aspect: The present invention may be applied in an agricultural facility, wherein the system, apparatuses and methods according to the invention may be arranged for determining a contaminating fluid on a surface. The contaminating fluid may either originated from a human or an animal.

The thermal imaging sensor thereby observes a floor of an agricultural facility, such as an animal stable. The surface is thus the floor of the agricultural facility. This surface may be contaminated with a contaminating fluid, such as e.g. saliva, blood, feces, urine, vomit of animals. Alternatively, said surface may be contaminated with spit, nasal fluid, saliva of a human being. The thermal imaging sensor detects this contaminating fluid. For example, feces may reach thermal equilibrium with the environment, such that the feces may not be distinguishably visible anymore to the thermal imaging sensor, but the germs, microbes, bacteria or viruses contained in the feces may still survive for longer durations. The same may apply to body fluids distributed due to coughing or sneezing.

The invention provides a controller, a first sensor, and said thermal imaging sensor. The first sensor may e.g. be a microphone or a volatile organic component (VOC) sensor. The controller controls the thermal imaging sensor to (e.g. turn on to an operational mode and) start detecting the contaminating fluid on the floor of the animal stable when the first sensor detects an indicator associated with the contaminating fluid, so as to determine the contaminating fluid on the floor of the animal stable. This indicator may for example be a sound of an act of excretion of the contaminating fluid that is detected by the first sensor being a microphone, such as the sound of a defecating animal. This indicator may also be a volatile organic component, e.g. a peak in methane concentration, that is detected by the first sensor being a VOC sensor. Said sound may also be the sound of a human coughing or sneezing, as humans may also infect animals, or carry infectious diseases that affect animals.

As a result, the controller determines the contaminating fluid on the floor of the animal stable, and may moreover determine the location of the contaminating fluid on said floor. This location may also be stored. The controller may also convey the location of the determined contamination fluid on the surface to an electrical device, such as e.g. a disinfection device or e.g. a user interaction device like a smartphone, or a server device like a building management server, or cleaning server. The controller may also control a lighting device in said anima stable, so as to either indicate or disinfect the surface with the contaminating fluid. Applying the present invention in the animal farming domain is particularly advantageous, as animal farming is keen on preventing infection and/or contamination in the farm.

Figure 3 depicts schematically, by non-limiting example, an embodiment of a method 30 of determining a contaminating fluid on a surface according to the invention. The method 30 may be performed by the system and/or apparatuses mentioned in the present application. The method 30 comprises a step 31 of detecting with a first sensor an indicator associated with a contaminating fluid. The first sensor may e.g. be a microphone, a camera, a radiofrequency based sensor, a body worn sensor, and/or a volatile organic component (VOC) sensor. The method 30 comprises a step 32 of controlling a thermal imaging sensor to start detecting the contaminating fluid on the surface when the first sensor detects the indicator; and a step 33 of determining the contaminating fluid on the surface.

The method may optionally comprise the step 34 of determining a location of the contaminating fluid on the surface; and step 35 of storing said location in a memory. Furthermore, optionally, the method 30 comprises the step 36 of detecting a cleaning action at a cleaning location on the surface; and step 37 of deleting the stored location in the memory if the cleaning location matches the stored location. Furthermore, optionally, the method 30 comprises the step 38 of conveying the location of the contaminating fluid on the surface to a further device; and/or controlling a further device based on the location of the contaminating fluid on the surface.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A system for determining a contaminating fluid on a surface, wherein the system comprises:

- a first sensor configured to detect an indicator associated with a contaminating fluid and indicative of an act of excretion; wherein the contaminating fluid is at least one of: snot, saliva, sweat, feces, blood, urine, vomit, breath, aerosol; wherein the act of excretion comprises at least one of: a cough, a sneeze, a snuffle, a spit, a vomit, a urination, a defecation;

- a thermal imaging sensor;

- a memory;

- a controller configured to control the thermal imaging sensor to start detecting the contaminating fluid on the surface within a period of time upon when the first sensor detects the indicator, so as to to determine the contaminating fluid on the surface; wherein said period of time is at most one second; wherein the controller is configured to determine a location of the contaminating fluid on the surface and to store said location in the memory.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the thermal imaging sensor is configured to detect a cleaning action at a cleaning location on the surface; wherein the controller is configured to obtain said cleaning location and delete the stored location in the memory if the cleaning location matches the stored location.

3. The system according to any one of the preceding claims 1-2, wherein the controller is configured to convey the location of the contaminating fluid on the surface to a further device.

4. The system according to any one of the preceding claims 1-3, wherein the controller is configured to control a further device based on the location of the contaminating fluid on the surface.

5. The system according to claims 3-4, wherein the further device is at least one of: a disinfection device, a lighting device, a lighting controller, a switch, an ionizer, a heater, a cleaning robot, a cleaning drone, a speaker, a fan, a user interaction device, a building management system, a room reservation system, a remote server, a smartphone, a tablet, a smart wearable device, an augmented reality device, an indoor positioning server, an electronic door or window.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the further device is a disinfection device; wherein the controller is configured to control the disinfection device to disinfect at least a part of the surface after determining the location of the contaminating fluid on the surface, wherein said part of the surface comprises said location; wherein the disinfection device is at least one of: a lighting device, an ionizer, a heater, a cleaning robot, a cleaning drone.

7. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the system comprises a lighting device; wherein the lighting device comprises at least one of the first sensor, the thermal imaging sensor and the controller.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the lighting device is arranged for illuminating the surface; wherein the controller is configured to control the lighting device to illuminate the surface with a lighting characteristic after determining the contaminating fluid on the surface.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the lighting characteristic is at least one of: a light intensity, a light color, a light color temperature, a light pattern, a light modulation, a light scene, a light recipe, a spectrum of light comprising UV light, a spectrum of light comprising UV-A light, a spectrum of light comprising UV-B light, a spectrum of light comprising UV-C light.

10. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first sensor is a microphone, and wherein the indicator is a sound of an act of excretion.

11. The system according to any one of the preceding claims 1-10, wherein the first sensor is a radiofrequency-based sensing sensor, and wherein the indicator is a body movement indicative of an act of excretion; wherein the act of excretion comprises at least one of: a cough, a sneeze, a snuffle, a spit, a vomit, a urination, a defecation.

12. A method of determining a contaminating fluid on a surface, wherein the method comprises: detecting with a first sensor an indicator associated with a contaminating fluid and indicative of an act of excretion; wherein the contaminating fluid is at least one of: snot, saliva, sweat, feces, blood, urine, vomit, breath, aerosol; wherein the act of excretion comprises at least one of: a cough, a sneeze, a snuffle, a spit, a vomit, a urination, a defecation; controlling a thermal imaging sensor to start detecting the contaminating fluid on the surface within a period of time upon when the first sensor detects the indicator, wherein said period of time is at most one second; determining the contaminating fluid on the surface; determine a location of the contaminating fluid on the surface; and store said location in a memory.