The impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) goes back to 1950 when the computer programming industry was just starting to boom.
For several years many healthcare sectors have used AI and mobile apps for their analytics algorithms, and data visualization tools to try to get ahead of the virus, or at least keep up with it.
Through these technologies, experts have the potential to track where the disease will go next, as well as identify drugs that may be effective.
So today lets discuss how these technologies have been able to provide help in this global pandemic.
What is the role of AI in the global pandemic?
As the world is getting more precautious about the Covid19 pandemic, organizations are brainstorming new ideas to handle the situation.
On March 5, 2020, Google’s DeepMind published research discussing how they used deep learning to predict the structure of proteins associated with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Not only had this but the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy recently issued a statement for AI developers to build tools which can be used to track database.
Apart from this, many community-based organizations, like Medical Home Network (MHN), a Chicago-based nonprofit, leaders have executed an AI platform to identify Medicaid patients most at risk from COVID-19.
The report, published by the organization said “Community preparedness is critical. The dedicated MHN care teams who proactively reach out to patients via phone, email or text will help individuals understand what they can do to lower their chance of infection, recognize symptoms of infection and how best to access the advice and care they need,”
Use of free AI tools
There are companies, who are literally eliminating their fees to fight the situation.
NVIDIA is providing a free 90-day license for Parabricks, which allows for using AI for genomics purposes.
The same program also ensures free support from Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and Core Scientific.
Another company, DataRobot is offering its platform for no charge. This AI-based platform offers deployment, monitoring, and management of AI models at scale.
DarwinAI has collaborated with the University of Waterloo’s VIP Lab to develop COVID-Net.
Now, this is a convolutional neural network that detects COVID-19 using chest radiography.
How AI helps in patient care?
Generally with AI we inevitably think about the database, mapping, and tracking. But AI can be a hugely beneficial tool for patient care.
Biofourmis, two weeks startup program have recently created a remote monitoring system that has a biosensor for a patient’s arm and an AI application to help with the diagnosis.
Given that in China about 29% of COVID-19 deaths were healthcare workers, this can a really beneficial tool.
Another platform named Vital is now devoting all its resources to create C19check.com.
This is an app that provides guidance to the public for self-triage before going to the hospital. Nearly, 400,000 people have used this so far.
This brings to another form of technology beneficial for COVID 19 pandemic- mobile apps.
How mobile apps are helping to fight the pandemic?
In India, very recently the ministry of electronics and IT launched a mobile app called AarogyaSetu to identify people with the risk of getting the coronavirus.
Reportedly, once installed this app can calculate the risk of infection based on sophisticated parameters if any of these contacts are tested positive.
In their official statement, the department said, “The App will help the Government take necessary timely steps for assessing the risk of spread of COVID-19 infection, and ensuring isolation where required,”
China and South Korea used a similar application that has been immensely successful in suppressing the epidemic.
According to the figures, fewer than 150 new cases have been reported each day during 2-23 March in China, from thousands and thousands of reports it was earlier.
In South Korea, new cases from 909 on 29 February to 76 on 24 March.
Some of the disadvantages of AI and mobile apps
Apart from a concern over the lack of human involvement, as the number of cases is increasing, there have been a few difficulties in keeping all the minute details. The experts must make sure they’re training AI tools on the most up-to-date data available.
For mobile apps, it can raise a question of protection and privacy issue. It should be carefully programmed app and people should be democratically aware pf the whole facts entitled to choose to use the app or not.
However, even with all the concerns and uncertainty, technology is evidently required to curb the crisis. With proper features, AI and mobile apps are the future of healthcare technology in fighting anything at this scale.
Are you developing an app? Do you need any help? Contact Us at Skyram Technologies and let us guide you through the process.
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Till then, follow the WHO protocol. Stay indoors, stay safe.
