SWISS ARMY TESTS TRACING APP

A COVID-19 contact tracing app is being trialed by 100 soldiers at the Chamblon army base near Lausanne, Switzerland. The Bluetooth-enabled app logs if users have spent more than 15 minutes within two metres of another user. Then, when one uploads a positive test result for COVID-19, the system and alerts users to the contact. In order to test its efficacy, the volunteers must also exchange a validation card.

In order to protect user-privacy, the results are stored on individual Bluetooth devices rather than a central server. The developers hope this will encourage more people to use the app, which in turn will improve results.The app is set for general release 11 May.

Wi-Fi AT NIGHTINGALE

Insmartcities have set up free Wi-Fi in the temporary Nightingale North-East hospital in Sunderland, UK. Separate to the NHS system, the additional super-fast Wi-Fi is so that COVID-19 patients can maintain contact with their loved ones, keeping morale high and curbing some of the psychological impact of isolation whilst obeying lockdown restrictions. The system was installed in less than two days by engineers who remained socially distanced throughout.

UK CARE HOMES GIVEN VIRTUAL GP

Care homes across the UK are installing remote diagnosis hubs to support patient care during the pandemic without necessitating a doctor’s visit. The contact-free assessment tool, developed by digital health solutions company Medicspot, enables GPs to provide video consultations whilst using connected devices to take real-time vitals with the assistance of carers. The self-service stations can assess the patients temperature, oxygen levels and heart and lung systems, reducing strain on GP services.

NEW UK REMOTE DIAGNOSIS APP

SDG Group have launched Docdot, a new AI-enabled smartphone app to diagnose, triage and monitor COVID-19 patients remotely. After filling out some short questions, the app uses AI technologies and remote photoplethysmography (rPPG), a light signal processing technology developed by binah.ai, to reads a users vital signs through their smartphone camera. The app is able to record heart rate, HRV, oxygen saturation and respiration, which are all crucial indicators of COVID-19 infection. By enabling these to be tested remotely, the app could limit the spread of the virus.

The data retrieved by the app is also geo-referenced and uploaded to the cloud to enable statistical-epidemiological modelling and contagion forecasting.

SWEDISH DIABETES TECH FOR COVID-19

Innovosens AB’s wearable device to measure vitals for diabetics could be used to identify and monitor COVID-19 patients. SMASH - Sweat Metabolite Analysis for Sports and Skin - measures the blood sugar and lactate levels of the user without piercing the skin. Increased lactate levels are also found in patients suffering from lung infections, a side-effect of severe COVID-19 infection. Innovosens is seeking additional funding to adapt and expand their product and to link it to a monitoring app. The company are also offering free prototypes to hospital and care home staff to help protect those most at-risk.

SWISS WEARABLE TESTS CORE TEMPERATURE

The CORE wearable device designed to monitor a user’s body temperature during sports activities could be used in the fight against COVID-19. Meant to be strapped to the chest, CORE uses a specific sensing technology to continuously and non-invasively monitor core body temperature fluctuations, viewable through a connected app. As increased body temperature is a symptom of COVID-19, companies across the world are considering using the device to monitor and protect their workforces and risk groups. Although not a medical device, the tool could be used to relieve pressure on healthcare services and provide insights through aggregated data.

BRITISH COVID-19 VENTILATOR LAUNCHED

British medtech firm Aesthetic Technology have launched a fully-compliant ventilator in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The C-19 Ventilator is based on a pre-existing design that has been licensed by Medtronic for manufacture throughout the pandemic. The reengineered design is lightweight, portable and can be used by both children and adults. The ventilator will be available for delivery worldwide, assisting the breathing and recovery of COVID-19 patients across the globe.

SWISS HEALTH CERTIFICATES BY BLOCKCHAIN

Secured ticketing platform TIXnGO have launched Health n Go, a blockchain smartphone app for health certificate management. The app supports safe delivery of health certificates from authorised professionals into a secure digital wallet. Each certificate is completely traceable and encrypted and can be shown on request and read by scanning a unique QR code. The AI-enabled software protects against potential certificate fraud and is GDPR compliant.

With the TIXnGO software already proven to work effectively on a large scale, the Health n Go app is being piloted by several Swiss international, civil and military organisations.

UK APP TO ANALYSE ROBOTIC SURGERY

Software development company DCSL Software have partnered with medical technology business Smith & Nephew to create an app that harnesses data on robot-assisted surgeries treating osteoarthiritis in the knee joint.

Smith & Nephew have pioneered the use of surgical robots in synthetic focal defect implants, a treatment solution for contained focal chondral lesions aimed at middle-aged patients, when lesions in the knee joint usually develop. DCSL Software will now be able to collate and interpret the data generated by the robots in each procedure, providing valuable insights and analytics on intuitive web and and mobile dashboards.