AIIMS Nagpur Develops Smart Wristband To Track Coronavirus Positive And Suspected Patients

Nagpur: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Nagpur in collaboration with Indian Institute Of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur and IIT Nagpur has indigenously designed and developed a model for effective tracking and monitoring of COVID positive and suspect patients. This device is in the form of a smart wristband that is designed to overcome the limitations of any existing online mobile apps for tracking and monitoring. The existing apps depend on the continuous use of mobile phones by the quarantined person and the availability of stable internet connections.

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Additionally, the existing mobile apps use GPS or cell tower triangulation methods for tracking location with an accuracy that may vary sometimes up to a radius of 1.5 to 2 kilometres. Apart from tracking the quarantined person’s movement, it is also essential to monitor their symptom which in the existing apps relies only on the user’s subjective self-assessment. Dr Prathamesh Kamble, Assistant Professor, Physiology, AIIMS Nagpur said,

The novel device can provide mobile free operation, using a geofencing technology which will provide a real-time alert on any breach in the quarantine zone.

This wristband, in addition, will provide real-time, objective and reliable data of vitals of the wearer like the temperature, pulse rate, respiratory rate and the oxygen saturation, so that the quarantined person will get a health alarm thus helping them seek early medical help.

This data will be collected and archived on cloud facilitating monitoring by health workers from a distance.

The technology is developed by Dr Mayur Parate and Dr Ankit Bhurane, city-based professionals from IIIT Nagpur. This device will operate on a technology that is more effective than the GPS system, said Dr Mayur.

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NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.