Pandemic Report: Biometric facial recognition | Virtual hospitals | Wastewater researchers
Digital-first safety strategy
Wisconsin healthcare system ThedaCare is using a digital app to reach out to patients during the pandemic as part of its digital-first strategy. A biometric sign-in using facial recognition will be added to the app, called Ripple, in the third quarter of this year.
Rolling out a virtual hospital
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the use of “virtual hospitals,” which monitor patients in their homes. Atrium Heath launched the idea with the Charlotte, NC-based nonprofit health system. Here’s the story of how they rolled it out.
XLerateHealth alum brings new product to market
Crosby Innovations, LLC, an XLerateHealth alumni in Michigan, has signed a commercialization deal with Florida-based Healthe Inc. to bring UVC 222nm technology and proprietary Healthe HANDS™ product to market by Q4 2021. The companies are exploring applications within COVID, as well as future viruses and bacteria that could pose potential pandemics.
MSU converts lab courses to online format
Tyrone Rooney and Alex Steiner, Michigan State University researchers, wanted to find a way for Earth Sciences students to access microscope labs when COVID caused the school to turn to online classes. The two created an open‐source device that combines a 3D-printed mechanism and an integrated camera to convert lab courses to an online format.
Cleveland Clinic and Clorox join forces
Cleveland Clinic is collaborating with The Clorox Company to develop health and safety measures to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The $1 million fund provided by Clorox will focus on tomorrow’s health safety products.
Brazilian COVID variant discovered
Wastewater researchers from the University of Louisville’s Co-Immunity Project discovered a Brazilian COVID-19 variant and alerted the health department. Identifying a virus earlier gives officials more time to contain the spread.