As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, suppliers in the public sector continue to find new and innovative ways to maintain public health and safety. With stores and offices adjusting to business during a pandemic, these products are some of the most unconventional and innovative ways to reduce the spread and effects of COVID-19.
Sanitizers that Utilize UV Light
This portable cell phone sanitizer by Happyhomeslife utilizes UV-C light to destroy micro bacteria that hide where cleansing wipes may not be able to reach. Similarly, this phone disinfecting toaster by Yanko Design also aims to utilize UV light to disinfect while charging the device. Both products could potentially be used to disinfect other small items such as credit cards, keys, and jewelry. The power of UV light is even being utilized for face masks, such as this self-disinfecting face mask by Amazfit.
Necklaces to Enforce Social Distancing and Reduce Face-Touching
This necklace by Architecture Discipline uses visual and audio cues to alert the wearer when somebody nearby is too close to safely practice social distancing. The product utilizes infrared radiation from the body temperature of those around you to detect presence. Another necklace, designed by NASA and built by Jet Propulsion Laboratory, vibrates to alert the wearer when they’re touching their face, aiming to reduce the spread of COVID-19 through people touching their faces with contaminated hands.
Voice-Activated LED Face Masks
In order to avoid the impacts on emotional and social cue recognition caused by face masks, Avtipus Patents and Inventions distributes a face mask that uses LED lights to express emotion utilizing vocal intonation. The mask, originally programmed by Tyler Glaiel, replicates natural mouth movements when speaking and can even smile! Image source.
Apparel with Attached Face Masks
As face masks are now the social norm and are required in many businesses and public spaces to reduce the spread of COVID-19, some apparel companies have begun to incorporate attached face masks into clothing. A couple of said companies are G95, who have created a hoodie with a built-in face mask, and Marta Scrampi, who has designed a jumpsuit equipped with a face mask and a hood for flying on airplanes. Image source.
Contactless Dining and Delivery Options
While many food delivery services existed pre-pandemic, FreshBytes is the first provider of its kind to offer a contactless dine-in experience that features mobile ordering options. Another delivery app, Rappi, is also taking food delivery service to the next level by testing robots that could not only provide contactless delivery of packages but also eliminate the need for a delivery person altogether. Image source.
COVID-19 Detection Robots and Eyewear
Rappi also created five robots that are being used to check temperature and health status, deliver food and medications, and keep medical records of COVID-19 patients in Rwanda. The robots have the capacity to scan 50 to 150 people for the COVID-19 virus in a single minute, making the screening process much more efficient. A similar invention by Rokid is this pair of eyeglasses that can detect body temperature from a distance of up to three meters utilizing infrared sensors.
COVID-19 Symptom Trackers
Symptom tracker apps, such as this cough tracker developed by Hyfe, allow users to track their symptoms after contracting the COVID-19 virus or coming into contact with an infected person. Hyfe’s cough tracker allows users to track their own coughing, monitor the symptoms of family members, and establish contact with health care professionals.
Drones that Spray Disinfectant
As the risk of exposure to COVID-19 increases for workers, drones are being used increasingly often for sanitization purposes and rapid expansions are being made in disinfectant technology. One such innovation is the use of drones developed by Garuda Aerospace to sanitize and disinfect public spaces like roads, hospitals, train stations, and other large, high-risk buildings. Image source.
Social Distancing Workout Pods
In an effort to maintain social distancing guidelines while re-opening, one gym in California is utilizing plastic pods to provide a physical barrier between patrons in group fitness classes. After complaints of breathing difficulties from a mask mandate, the gym owners decided to take matters into their own hands and construct individualized pods where gym-goers didn’t need to wear a mask while working out. Similar pods are also being used for individualized dining experiences, outdoor gatherings, and more. Image source.
Applications to Reduce Pandemic Anxiety
Technologization has extended into the field of clinical psychology as a host of applications aim to improve the mental health of those who have been affected by grief, anxiety, or isolation due to the pandemic and subsequent national lockdown. One new phone application was created with qualified therapists to help with anxiety, stress, addiction, and other mental health struggles related to COVID-19.
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