shared with the hypothalamus. Before the ear thermometer's invention, easy temperature readings could only be taken from the mouth, rectum, or underarm. Previously, if doctors wanted to record an accurate brain temperature, electrodes needed to be attached to the patient's hypothalamus. This tympanic thermometer has a projection (protected by a one-time hygienic sheath) that contains the infrared probe; the projection is gently placed in the ear canal and a button pressed; the temperature is read and displayed within about a second. These thermometers are used both in the home and in medical facilities. There are factors that make readings of this thermometer to some extent unreliable, for example faulty placement in the external ear canal by the operator, and wax blocking the canal. Such error-producing factors usually cause readings to be below the true value, so that a fever can fail to be detected. Forehead Temporal artery Temporal artery thermometers, which use the infrared principle report temperature, are becoming increasingly common in clinical practice because of their ease of use and minimal invasiveness. Because of the variability of technique and environmental considerations, measurements by temporal artery thermometers may suffer issues of precision, and to a lesser degree accuracy. Temporal thermometers have been found to have a low sensitivity of around 60–70%, but a very high specificity of 97–100% for detecting fever and hypothermia. Because of this, it is suggested that they should not be used in acute care settings like the ICU, or in patients with a high suspicion of temperature imbalance. Evidence supports higher accuracy and precision amongst pediatric patients. Plastic strip thermometer The thermometer is applied to the patient's brow. It is typically a band coated with different temperature-sensitive markings using plastic strip thermometer or similar technology; at a given temperature the markings (numerals indicating the temperature) in one region are at the right temperature to become visible. This type may give an indication of fever, but is not considered accurate. Classification by technology Liquid-filled The traditional thermometer is a glass tube with a bulb at one end containing a liquid which expands in a uniform manner with temperature. The tube itself is narrow (capillary) and has calibration markings along it. The liquid is often mercury, but alcohol thermometers use a colored alcohol. Medically, a maximum thermometer is often used, which indicates the maximum temperature reached even after it is removed from the body. To use the thermometer,