A team of Moroccan researchers, made up of engineers and doctors, announced the launch of an initial version of the Covid-19 “intelligent mask for automatic remote detection” (MIDAD), accompanied by a “tracking” application (Trackorona), which offers a method for predicting and diagnosing the disease.
According to these researchers, the mask, which also serves as a protective barrier, was designed using 3D printing technology and contains a map and temperature, humidity and pressure sensors to measure the pressure and respiratory cycle, as well as the level of oxygen in the blood spO2 (by combining it with an Oximeter).
“MIDAD” is one of the 6 projects selected in an international competition called “HakingCovid19” organised by HEC Paris and other partners, which received no less than 102 applications. Thanks to this distinction, a Moroccan investor proposed to finance the production of this mask.
In a statement to the MAP agency, the coordinator of the scientific team, Dr. Mouhsine Lakhdissi, specified that this mask is connected via Bluetooth to the Trackorona application, which offers “tracking” (tracing) of the user’s movements to detect his level of compliance with containment and social distancing.
He said that the application, which can be downloaded free of charge to smartphones independently of the mask, offers a medically validated self-diagnosis form and an innovative technology for detecting the symptoms of the disease by voice.
The application also uses a multi-factor, scalable prediction “framework” using environmental, behavioral and medical data from the patient and artificial intelligence.
He explained that this application allows the vital data from the mask to be fed back by combining it with other data from self-diagnosis, intelligent voice detection and behavioral monitoring to assess the possibility of infection, but also to know the people the user is frequenting, while respecting the law on the protection of personal data.
The intelligent mask MIDAD and the Trackorona application is a 100% Moroccan project, which offers an innovative and low-cost method, he said, stressing that it is “a modest scientific contribution made available to our country as a form of recognition and remains open to improvements, adaptations and corrections made by experts”.
Regarding the steps taken to protect this invention, Dr. Lakhdissi explained that a patent application has been filed for this device which will be launched in Open Source for Moroccan citizens and government.
He said that the scientific team worked on this project for a month, adding that the idea is the result of a collective reflection in the context of citizen mobilization and active in connection with the pandemic, noting that contacts have been established in this sense with the research center of the Faculty of Medicine in Casablanca.
This is an innovative project that has benefited from the experiences undertaken in South Korea, Singapore, Germany and Switzerland on containment, social distancing and detection of the disease through voice print.
This mask can be used to combat the Coronavirus, but can also be used for remote medicalization of other diseases.
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