Researchers believe they have designed a new AI software that can be embedded into cameras to detect COVID-19.
The work comes from engineers at the University of South Australia, and it targets a key COVID symptom, oxygen saturation.
Originally developed to detect signs of life in war zones and after natural disasters, the technology now stands as a powerful tool to combat a global pandemic.
The contactless sensing tech works in 15 seconds. A webcam video helps measure heart rate, breathing rate, blood oxygen levels, and core temperature is taken with a thermal camera.
Blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) is a measure of how well the lungs absorb oxygen, and the circulatory system transports oxygenated blood. It’s usually measured using connected sensors that project light through a finger. Until now, there hasn’t been a non-contact option.
Low SpO2 levels are important in COVID-19 detection. Medical professionals typically use a pulse oximeter, but they need to be thoroughly disinfected after each patient, and several factors can throw off their accuracy.
The blood oxygen gauge was developed for Draganfly’s Vital Intelligence project. Draganfly is a Canadian drone manufacturer with a U.S. headquarters in Raleigh, NC, and its tech is being used at screening checkpoints in the U.S. For example, Alabama State University recently installed Draganfly’s screening units across its campus to take contactless temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate readings of students, faculty, and staff.
Draganfly CEO Cameron Chell calls the tech is a gamechanger in telehealth and notes that it is third-party reviewed, clinically researched and designed and built by a university.
The research team previously worked on contactless monitoring to reduce the risk of infection in neonatal wards.
