Body Temperature Measurement Incorporates New Technologies

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The evolution of human body temperature measurement reflects the adoption of revolutionary innovations over time 

 

São Paulo, February 24, 2025 – Fever measurement is one of the first and most important warning signs for a wide range of health conditions, and the accuracy of this reading can be decisive. In contexts such as oncology and neutropenic fever, fever is a common medical emergency. Cancer patients, due to chemotherapy treatment, may have a low neutrophil count, a white blood cell vital for fighting infections. Fever, in this case, is a critical sign, and a quick diagnosis is essential to start treatment without delay. 

Another example is the monitoring of diseases such as dengue. High fever is one of the first signs and can indicate the appearance or evolution of complications. Accurate temperature measurement in these cases helps monitor the clinical condition and allows for more effective treatment. 

The evolution of human body temperature measurement reflects the continuous advancement of technology. From the sixteenth century, with Galileo’s thermoscope, to the present day with Exergen’s temporal artery thermometers, progress has been remarkable: 

Sixteenth century 

  • 1592: Galilei invent the first thermoscope, a device that could show temperature changes but did not measure temperature in specific units.  

Seventeenth century 

  • 1612: Santorio Santorio, an Italian physician, adapts Galileo’s thermoscope to measure the temperature of the human body, creating the first medical temperature device.  
  • 1654: Ferdinand II de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, develops a liquid thermometer in glass, using colored alcohol to measure temperature.  

Eighteenth century 

  • 1714: Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit invents the mercury-in-glass thermometer, which is more accurate and reliable. He also creates the Fahrenheit scale. 
  • 1742: Anders Celsius develops the Celsius scale (initially called the centigrade scale), which becomes widely used in temperature measurement.  

Nineteenth century 

  • 1867: Thomas Clifford Allbutt, a British doctor, invents the portable clinical mercury thermometer, which reduces the time to measure temperature from 20 minutes to about five minutes.  

Twentieth century 

  • 1930: Clinical mercury thermometers become standard for measuring body temperature due to their accuracy and ease of use. 
  • 1964: Dr. Theodore Hannes Benzinger invents the infrared ear thermometer, which measures the temperature of the eardrum, providing a quick, non-invasive measurement.  
  • 1970: Digital thermometers begin to be developed, offering faster and safer measurements, without the use of mercury, which is now banned in several countries.  

XXI century 

  • 2000s: Digital thermometers become widely accessible, with models that can measure oral, rectal, axillary, and tympanic temperature. 
  • 2010: Infrared forehead thermometers, which measure the temperature of the temporal artery, gain popularity due to their ease of use and accuracy. 
  • 2020: The Covid-19 pandemic increases the demand for non-contact thermometers for quick and safe body temperature screening. 

“Temperature measurement through temporal artery provides accurate and consistent readings in a non-invasive manner,” said Dr. Francesco Pompei, CEO and founder of Exergen Corporation, adding that the thermometer sensor takes 1,000 measurements, ensuring that the highest temperature found is always recorded in just three seconds. “The agility, accuracy, ease of use and reliability are significant differentials for accurate body temperature monitoring both in a hospital environment and at home.” 

About Exergen   

Exergen Corporation, the leader in non-invasive temperature measurement technologies for industrial and medical applications, delivers non-invasive temperature meters with higher accuracy, lower costs, less process control, and higher reliability than previously possible. Known in both healthcare and consumer markets for its award-winning arterial thermometer, Exergen was founded by MIT and Harvard – educated and Harvard researcher Dr. Francesco Pompei, who holds more than 100 patents supporting Exergen products. Exergen Corporation is headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts, United States.  

Sources 

  • Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Clifford-Allbutt 
  • Exergen, https://www.exergen.com/about/ 
  • ThoughtCo, https://www.thoughtco.com/the-history-of-the-thermometer-1992525 

 

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