Amid coronavirus pandemic, tech companies had to find ways to help curb the virus. Through their COVID-19 trackers on smartphones, people were able to know who has an infection or not. But what about those people without smartphones? Here's what Bluetooth SIG recommends.
Wearable COVID-19 tracker?
With the recent 22 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 all over the world, it is hard to monitor which one has the virus or not. Especially if you're outside, with other strangers.
Luckily, tech giants have come up with a smartphone COVID-19 tracking app called exposure notification systems (ENS). In a tap on the smartphone screen, you may know if you had a close interaction with a positive COVID-19 patient.
But not everyone has a smartphone. And that's the problem that Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) wants to resolve.
With their team, they have formulated a plan to create their wearable COVID-19 tracker that is Bluetooth-based.
How does this work?
Like the regular COVID-19 tracing app of Apple-Google, people who use the Bluetooth-based tracker only have to bring the device anywhere they go. The design looks like a smartwatch, based on the blueprint. So its easier and comfortable to wear.
The Bluetooth-based tracker device will be connected to a smartphone. Once it is on, the person can now go anywhere.
Other people that wear the same tracker will be shown with their random IDs. At the end of the day, the person can now reconnect to the smartphone. It will upload all the random IDs that the person wearing the tracker had interaction with.
The data will be compared with the other random IDs. Once the person wearing the tracker has a match, the smartphone owner will be notified whether to tell him to self-quarantine or take a COVID-19 test.
Why do we need a Bluetooth-based tracker?
As said earlier, not everyone has a smartphone. For example, most older people or young children do not have any possession of the device. Even those population that can't buy their own phone is an issue when it comes to using the COVID-19 tracing app.
Therefore, if the Bluetooth-based tracker project arrives, this will solve the issues of small reach on the COVID-19 app.
"We believe including wearable devices in an ENS would be a very effective method for extending its reach to support these important groups," said Bluetooth SIG.
The good news is that the company said that as early as "the next few months," the device will be ready to deploy. They will also be partnered with other tech giants Apple, Google, and Intel.
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Jamie Pancho
