CAItech Involved in China's SARS Battle

San Jose, CA, June 5, 2003 - CAItech and its joint venture partner Wuhan Huazhong Numerical Control Co.,LTD.(HCNC) became strategically involved in China's battle against SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).  Early this year, the SARS virus became rampant in many provinces of China.  But how to detect new SARS cases easily? 

In 1998, HCNC in conjunction with Huazhong University had developed a thermal camera to inspect the dike system of the Yangtze river and its tributaries.  That year the Yangtze River rose to its highest level in a decade, overflowed its banks and flooding low-lying areas.  Leaking dikes showed up in thermal images as cool regions in HCNC's camera.

People spread the SARS virus when they develop a fever greater than 100 F(38 C).  By modifying their thermal camera, HCNC could detect people with high fevers from a meter away.  "During testing at the hospital, our camera identified a man with a high fever," said HCNC President Chen Jihong.  "We were afraid to touch him because he might have had SARS.  Fortunately, he only had a toothache."

CAItech became involved in securing sensing elements for the camera.  In the search for hundreds of the elements to make into SARS cameras, Raytheon in Texas, Indigo Systems in California as well as French, Canadian and Israeli companies all helped out.  Since some versions of these elements are restricted for export, government officials from the departments of Commerce, State and Defense became involved in the purchases.

The HCNC SARS detection cameras were installed at airports, train stations and other crowded places in Chinese cities of Xiamen, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shijiazhuang and Wuhan.  Each of the cameras detect fevers among thousands of people that pass by each day.  The cameras have made great contributions to preventing the spread of the SARS disease in China.

Computer Aided Inspection Technologies, Inc. is a privately held California corporation manufacturing next-generation automated inspection equipment. Established in 1997, CAItech is located in San Jose, CA in the heart of California's Silicon Valley electronics industry.
CAItech can be reached at (408) 226-0642, or on the web at www.caitech.com .