A team of researchers at UMC Utrecht is testing a bracelet that could help detect symptoms of coronavirus at an early stage.
The bracelet continuously measures body temperature and breathing, explains UMC Utrecht. A higher temperature, as well as coughing and breathlessness, are all symptoms that could indicate the presence of the coronavirus.
After Studio Roosegaarde’s Urban Sun which rids public spaces of coronavirus using UVC light, this bracelet is another impressive addition to the Netherlands’ collection of innovations.
Certified device
Originally developed by Ava AG in Switzerland for women to track their ovulation, the bracelet is an already certified device. This is why the researchers of UMC Utrecht can get started with testing the wearable for coronavirus so quickly.
Professor of clinical epidemiology at UMC Utrecht, Rick Grobbee, and his team have been brainstorming how to use this bracelet to detect coronavirus. In this next stage they’ll test the device on 40,000 people.
The aim is to start testing as soon as the number of infections goes up again. Grobbee expects that this could be in autumn.
Who is it for?
Early detection of the virus is crucial for combating the global pandemic and the project received a subsidy of 10 million euros from the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI).
Grobbee hopes to have results concerning the effectiveness of the bracelet about six months after the start of the trial. “If this turns out to work, I imagine that this wearable will mainly be used by people from high-risk groups and healthcare workers,” he says.
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Feature Image: UMC Utrecht/Supplied