With restaurant dining rooms now open under new restrictions and precautions, we’re seeing quite a few devices emerge that aim to better monitor the health of workers and customers. The latest of these is from tech company Squadle, which today launched its Sqaudle Sense Thermal Scanner that lets restaurants and other foodservice businesses quickly perform automated health checks on guests and employees, according to a press release sent to The Spoon.
Cambridge, MA-based Squadle is already known among QSRs for its hardware-software system that automates operational tasks in the restaurant. McDonald’s and Dunkin’ are among the chains that already use the company’s technology.
Squadle Sense is a 6”x6” device that mounts to the wall and uses Squadle’s patented ZeroTouch sensor technology. That tech has until now been used by restaurants to monitor equipment like coolers or refrigerators. As part of Squadle Sense, it can now be used to monitor humans’ temperature.
Employees “sign in” with an app or keycard, then simply stand in front of the device while it performs a quick scan. When the system detects an above-normal temperature, it automatically alerts a manager via the accompanying app. The system can also be used in the front of house for restaurants that want to check guest health before customers enter the premises. Restaurant owners and managers can configure settings (e.g., define “above normal” temperatures) remotely via the app.
According to today’s press release, the device is available for pre-order and will ship in Fall 2020. A monthly fee (determined according to the restaurant’s needs) covers both the hardware and software.
Squadle joins the likes of PathSpot, Fujitsu, POPid, and ResQ in releasing devices and software that monitors employee and guest health and provides better tracking of restaurants’ efforts around sanitization.
One of the challenges restaurants have encountered during this reopening phase is that there is no one single set of standards when it comes to sanitization practices and employee health and safety. That gets especially tricky as regulations vary from state to state. While Squadle isn’t claiming to set any kind of industry standard with its new device, the remote monitoring aspect of the system at least allows multi-unit chains to adhere to the same standards across borders and locations.
