THE INTERNET – From home COVID-19 tests to a variety of technology-infused masks, the coronavirus pandemic changed the landscape of this year’s Consumer Electronics Conference.
CES, one of the biggest technology events of the year, would normally draw thousands of people to Las Vegas, but the pandemic forced online operations with its first 100% virtual conference held this week.
The pandemic not only changed the way the conference was conducted, but it also influenced exhibitors to create and showcase the technology created to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here is a look at some of the products designed with the pandemic in mind this year at CES 2021.
Bluetooth face mask
After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended wearing a mask to limit the spread of the new coronavirus last spring, it became part of everyday life.
But many have realized that there may be some irritating parts of the facial coverage, such as talking on the phone, which is a nuisance because the sounds can be muffled under the mask.
Enter MaskFone, a facial cover with integrated Bluetooth headphones that lasts up to 12 hours on a single charge.
The fabric mask is washable (just remove the headphones first) and a filter can also fit.
It comes in various sizes and prices start at around $ 50.
Automated temperature scanner
In the COVID-19 era, temperature checks have become standard practice. Typically, an individual measures each person’s temperature before he or she can join a company or event. The creators of GateDoc, an automated, touchless temperature scanner, wanted to streamline the process, so they designed a machine that checks a person’s temperature before allowing entry into a business or event.
The machine recognizes when a person approaches and measures body temperature through the forehead, which can be used with or without a face mask. It completes the temperature scan in 0.05 seconds.
If a person’s temperature reaches the limit, he is allowed to enter; otherwise, the machine will beep and alert the manager via an application.
A more expensive version of the machine also comes with a non-touch hand sanitizer dispenser.
Prices start at around 300 euros, or about $ 365.
Wearable COVID-19 detection adhesive
BioButton, a health monitoring patch created by BioIntelliSense, sticks to a person’s chest and can track a person for COVID-19 for months on end.
Disposable coin-sized wearable technology is designed to track the user’s vital signs – such as resting heart rate, respiratory rate and skin temperature – with medical-grade precision. The sticker can monitor a person for 90 days through an application, which sends the readings via Bluetooth.
The button can collect data and use it to determine whether a person may have symptoms of a possible new coronavirus infection.
The technology is being used by UCHealth in Colorado to monitor healthcare professionals who have received COVID-19 vaccines, and BioIntelliSense recently announced its collaboration with the American College of Cardiology. In May, the faculty of cardiology will allow participants at its conference to try out BioButton.
The sticker is not available for individual purchase, but organizations can apply online to purchase the buttons.
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Lauren Bennett