The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) Safety Enhancement Convergence Research Center has implemented a technology that closely and easily identifies whether or not a patient has been in contact with an infectious disease patient, such as COVID-19, based on indoor positioning. Afterwards, it is possible to use various industrial spin-offs as well as respond to infectious disease pandemics.
Dr. Taek-Jin Lee’s team at KIST developed the ‘Corona 19 Contact Verification System (CTS)’ technology. TJ Labs, founded by Dr. Lee, systematized the technology.
The development technology utilizes smartphone Bluetooth. Bluetooth beacons in the application space and records of signals sent and received by smartphones with dedicated applications (apps) installed are used. It is possible to specify the target position even indoors where positioning is difficult.
In the past, even if they were only in the same space and were actually far away, it is common for people to be classified as contacts. When there is a COVID-19 patient in a hospital, the entire hospital may be paralyzed regardless of actual contact. CTS can prevent this.
It has already proven its efficacy in multi-use facilities. Last January, it was used for the 2022 DB Group Badminton Korea League.
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The research team explained that the use of CTS technology will be high in the future. In response to the COVID-19 mutant virus and new infectious diseases, social costs and confusion can be reduced.
It can also be used in other industries. An example is the field of industrial safety. In industrial sites such as shipyards blocked by bulkheads, the location of workers can be monitored in real time. It detects a fall accident by observing a rapid change in the positioning altitude, or detects an emergency such as fainting by observing the state where the target has stopped for a long period of time. It is also possible to deliver on-site air quality to workers by adding additional technologies.
Dr. Lee Taek-jin said, “CTS plays a big role in increasing the quarantine efficiency of multi-use facilities.
On the other hand, the Safety Enhancement Convergence Research Center (Director Kim Sang-kyung), which implements this technology, is a place that conducts research on medical system support technology and industrial site serious accident prevention. In particular, it focuses on pandemic response. Amid the need for national preparations for another infectious disease crisis, we are working hard on related research.
Reporter Youngjun Kim [email protected]
