Three Different Things: April 6, 2020
Battle Covid–19 with AI, Apple Face Shields, and Tesla Ventilators
Several governments and hospital systems around the world have leveraged AI-powered sensors to support triage in sophisticated ways. Chinese technology company Baidu developed a no-contact infrared sensor system to quickly single out individuals with a fever, even in crowds. Beijing’s Qinghe railway station is equipped with this system to identify potentially contagious individuals, replacing a cumbersome manual screening process. Similarly, Florida’s Tampa General Hospital deployed an AI system in collaboration with Care.ai at its entrances to intercept individuals with potential Covid–19 symptoms from visiting patients. Through cameras positioned at entrances, the technology conducts a facial thermal scan and picks up on other symptoms, including sweat and discoloration, to ward off visitors with fever.
Someone train an AI on people contaminating things through touch — after the quarantine, we’ll look for this not just for healthcare, but for food services.
2. This Is Apple’s Most Important Product Ever, But You Can’t Buy One
Watch Tim Cook’s Twitter video to see the face shield at 1:09. After the quarantine it’ll be interesting to see what practices continue — could Apple keep producing face shields or other medical equipment and donate it for tax breaks? Healthcare capacity and improvement is the new carbon neutral.
3. Tesla shows how it builds ventilators using Model 3 parts
Tesla’s ventilator looks legit. But not as legit as Dyson’s
