volume | PIER Journals

Abstract

The management of the current pandemic COVID-19 has been challenging and complex. The main and only successes have been achieved with non-pharmacological interventions (NPI). When tracking, monitoring, and early intervention at home have been delivered to citizens, the contagion can be controlled. In the current pandemic, various methods have been applied to track the COVID-19 virus, such as Korea's mobile phone tracking system. We propose a method based on a wearable bracelet prototype able to detect biomedical parameters, which can be very useful to monitor the virus infection when the patient develops symptoms, such as a high temperature or low blood oxygenation. In particular, the prototype bracelet can measure the blood oxygenation using an infrared optical sensor and measure the temperature of the patient. The bracelet can record the identification number of other bracelet devices that came in proximity. The bracelet is equipped with a built-in low power Bluetooth, aimed to send the recorded data to a smartphone or another device in order to connect them with proper geo-localization and to the web. The identification number of the patient device can be used to trace the number of people and whom he has been in contact with, immediately by the sanitary authorities. Moreover, the bracelet can be used for monitoring the patient's health at home, avoiding the hospital's overcrowding. The proposed system not only can effectively localize the trace path of patients positive to the COVID-19 virus or to other respiratory diseases, but also can provide an evolution of the patient symptoms and monitor people in-home quarantine. The system is simple and could be an efficient tool to track any other future pandemics.

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Dr. Mohammedhusen Manekiya

Prof. Massimo Donelli