April 21, 2020 Industrial Tech Helps Face COVID-19

Hard-working people in the tech industry are helping in whatever way they can with COVID-19.

It’s only been a few months since COVID-19 touched the U.S. but it has already changed the country and changed the entire world. Sadly, since there are so many unknowns, we don’t know when we’ll even be able to return to some kind of normal life. It could be weeks. It could be months. It could be years.

Luckily, there are millions of researchers, doctors, scientists, hardworking volunteers who are doing everything in their power to limit the damage of this deadly virus. Additionally, the tech community is working tirelessly to help during these scary and uncertain times.

Here are some of the ways technology is playing a major role in the fight against this global pandemic:

3D Printing

One of the more impressive uses for LulzBot 3D Printers involved the creation of 3D printed bridges, which fit together in segments with no adhesive material. The bridge that held the most weight, roughly 250 pounds, currently holds the record. Additionally, 3D printers can create everything from helpful files for medical equipment to fully functional ventilators and face shields.

“With details of relevant medical equipment and designs now freely available on our platform, we hope our global community will help spread the knowledge of these products,” said Carl Silbersky, CEO of BIMobject. “These products can help save lives and, by connecting the people that need them to the people that have them, we hope to do our bit to help.”

It’s important to note that acids are the number one reason compressor fluids fail and need to be replaced and any kind of 3D-printed item will need to be monitored carefully, especially ones that come in direct contact with infected patients.

Bluetooth Tracking

BLuetooth technology has been around for years but it’s just recently been utilized to actually track viruses. According to Computers World, MIT researchers are developing a system called PACT (Private Automatic Contact Tracing) that can actually help health officials track and trace COVID-19 while preserving privacy.

If someone tests positive for COVID-19, data can be found on exactly how many other smartphones that person came in contact with over the past 14 days. PACT works on short-range Bluetooth signals that are emitted by smartphones and if there is a match, a notification will inform that individual that they may have been exposed to the virus and what necessary next steps should be taken. With Bluetooth technology, it’s all about attention to detail. Multi-head machines have gained notoriety and popularity due to its contribution to the attention given to specific surface details.

Amazon’s Diagnostic Development Unit

According to ZDNet, Amazon’s AWS has committed $20 million to fund a diagnostic development unit, in an effort to create a faster and affordable test for COVID-19. The AWS Diagnostic Development Initiative is designed to bolster collaboration between customers and will aim to accelerate research, boost treatment, and flatten the curve of the pandemic.

Video Platform Assisting COVID-19 Responders

Healthcare workers and first responders, as well as those working in education and the nonprofit sectors, are all extremely vulnerable at the moment. ANd Twilio is now offering three months of free use of Twilio Video Boost for anyone actively fighting the pandemic on the front lines. Users have until June 30 to sign up and take advantage of the free digital offer.

This program will help these workers communicate quickly and efficiently with one another. For Telehealth providers, this kind of technology is more important than ever before, allowing patients and providers to maintain critical conversations while protecting themselves, their families, and their communities via social distancing.

“Drawing from my own country’s experience, speedy and accurate testing and adequate personal protective equipment for medical professionals are most effective in preventing the spread of the virus,” said Jack Ma, co-founder of Alibaba, a company that recently plans on donating 500,000 test kits and one million face masks. “We hope that our donation can help Americans fight against the pandemic!”

These are scary times indeed. And scary for kids, families, healthcare workers, and even those locked in isolation working on new ways to help out — scary times for us all. Thankfully, some of the brightest and most tech-savvy individuals in the entire world are coming up ways to at least minimize the damage and help people who are struggling. Keep fighting out there — and good luck!

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