5 Ways on How IOT Fights the COVID19 Outbreak
COVID-19 has widely spread around the globe. As a result of the pandemic, many countries went on lockdown to curb the spread. IoT has shown great potential in helping out health industries to fight against the virus. Companies that develop the best IoT solutions not just in Singapore but around the world, we’re already working on technology to help public health.
Here are five ways that IoT applications help fight this global pandemic.
1. Detecting the earliest symptoms
An IoT device that can track flu symptoms, the Raspberry Pi-based sensor, called FluSense, can detect possible flu patients in crowds. You have probably heard people compare COVID-19 to the flu, so you probably know where this is going. Since the flu and COVID-19 share many symptoms, scientists could easily tweak FluSense to detect coronavirus. FluSense could identify possible carriers of the virus in waiting rooms, grocery stores or even on the street. With this information, health authorities could do a much better job of containing the virus and even promote a better frontline safety tracking system.
2. Using smartphones to report sickness
Some countries have started tracking the virus through mobile apps. This mobile solution sends out alerts every time you pass by another Bluetooth device, the phone picks up information about it, and uses this connectivity to tell you if you’ve come in close contact with a COVID-19 patient. But it only knows if users carry the virus if they report it, and it keeps user IDs anonymous, protecting privacy.
3. Tracking back interaction records
Real-time maps are a handy tool to have when you are tracking a disease pandemic. With an IoT-induced map, you can look at up-to-date data on where the virus is and how fast it is growing. A smart map like this has been around since 2006, but it has come a long way since then. Now it pulls data from IoT devices, not just news resources, giving you a more complete and accurate picture of the outbreak. If you are concerned about how the virus is impacting an area, you can easily check it online.
4. Treating patients with wearables
The IoT does not just help in tracking the virus but can help treat it too. With temperature-sensing wearables, which hospitals have started using to monitor coronavirus patients, hospital staff has an affordable way to track patient data remotely. As hospitals become more crowded, they don’t have enough staff to monitor all the patients frequently. But remote monitoring tools like these wearables, nurses can check on patients without being in the same room. That way, they can give everyone the care they need despite staff shortages.
5. Measuring air quality
COVID-19 is a respiratory disease, so as it spreads, air quality becomes a more widespread concern. Some harmful particles, like coronavirus, are just nanometers in size, able to slip past traditional HVAC filters. However, IoT sensors can detect these tiny particles to help improve air quality. These IoT devices are HVAC system-equipped with these sensors and can adjust to deal with changes in air quality. That way, people have an added layer of protection against airborne diseases like COVID-19.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is not just for human convenience
When you think of the IoT, you probably think of home devices that make life easier. While that’s an excellent example of what the IoT can do, it’s not everything it has to offer. In this time of medical crisis, the health benefits of the IoT are becoming more apparent. Using the IoT as a force for good, especially in public health, isn’t anything new, either. Most of these projects you just read about were around before the coronavirus outbreak started. But the pandemic has served as a kind of proving ground. Widespread IoT solutions adoption can do a lot of good for the world. As more companies and governments realise their potential, more IoT projects will pop up, helping people around the world.
If you are in need of an IoT solution like a GPS asset tracking, check out more on our website and let our experts help you with your needs today.
