Technology has come a long way over the past few years, and a great example of this is smartphones. We now have all the information we could possibly need at our fingertips along with applications that allow us to do a range of different things. The fact that technology has developed so vastly over the past few years means, not only does it have significant potential for the future, it has massive potential now. In the current pandemic, we need technology now more than ever. By using technology in a newly developed way, it can help stop the spread of the coronavirus and help save lives.
Smartphone devices are great for use when trying to fight against a virus, like coronavirus. Their most alluring and attractive feature is not only its capabilities and functionalities but also the fact they are portable, easy to use, and almost everyone has one. As we take a look at the progress of the smartphone, it is evident that features like the camera have gone above and beyond what was expected. Carrying a personal handheld camera is not needed now as the same technology fits straight into our pockets and can do more. The promise that this growth shows it that. smartphones have the potential to be more. And so, with this in mind, they have the potential to help save lives during the pandemic.
How can smartphones be used to combat the virus?
Smartphones and some of its less sophisticated cousins can be used to help track the locations of people by using cell phone tower signals, GPS, and Wi-Fi signals. However, the primary technology housed in smartphones that will help combat the virus is Bluetooth which helps connect to nearby devices. By logging a combination of location data, the smartphone can be used to monitor the location of individuals. This will not only help authorities gather data on how many people are following restrictions, but it can also be used for contact-tracing.
Using the smartphones for contact tracing will help determine users with the virus and who they have been in contact with, helping prevent the spread of the virus. Smartphones can also be used to take surveys. The survey can help gather information about people’s health histories while combining their location for an accurate picture. Reports have shown that North West London has become the epicenter of the virus. Using smartphones can help authorities better understand the spread of the virus in these communities.
How a smartphone can help with contact tracing
By using Bluetooth on a smartphone, they are able to log other phones they have been in close contact to. For example, if someone becomes infected with the virus, the smartphone will be able to detect and ready a list of potential people they have been exposed to and who they could have passed the virus onto. This will prompt the phone and supporting software to send notifications urging those people to get tested for the virus or to self-isolate. By putting this method in place, it is more efficient and can work out better than traditional tracing methods, such as interviews, which are time-consuming and require large amounts of staff.
As with all new technologies benign tried and tested, the Bluetooth system is far from perfect. For example, phones might pick up each other from 15 feet apart and log them as entries. Users may be in different rooms with only a wall to separate them, but the smartphone will detect close contact. With these issues in mind, developers have been working on ways to better define what substitutes as contact between two devices, and so, there is still some way to go with the app. However, Bluetooth remains more accurate than GPS.
Smartphones have been great for a lot of things in the past, but now they might be the savior we have all been waiting for. The future of smartphone and the smartphone market looks promising, and although the pandemic may have affected it, with promising use for it in the fight against the virus, there is a certainty that the industry will bounce back.
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