Responding to Deputy Minister for Research, Innovation and Digital Policy Kokkinos’ call to employ digital technologies to find quick and innovative ways to fight the COVID19 pandemic, the Centre of Excellence in Research and Innovation RISE—Research Centre on Interactive Media, Smart Systems and Emerging Technologies—has developed a mobile application, COVTRACER (ΙΧΝΗΛΑΤΗΣ) that can effectively help limit the spread of the virus in Cyprus.
As part of its close working relationship with the Centre of Excellence and Innovation RISE, the Deputy Ministry for Research, Innovation and Digital Policy supports and encourages the widespread use of the COVTRACER (ΙΧΝΗΛΑΤΗΣ) App. In a statement, Deputy Minister Kyriacos Kokkinos thanked the Centre of Excellence RISE both for the development of COVTRACER (ΙΧΝΗΛΑΤΗΣ) as well as for wider cooperation in the development of a broader spectrum of innovative technological solutions to deal with the crisis. For RISE, Research Director Professor Yiorgos Chrysanthou noted that this is exactly the time to bring the power of technology to the service of society. As such, he added, the researchers at RISE have intensified their efforts to assist in combatting the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 in Cyprus and the challenges the virus presents to the wider public.
Combatting the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic requires the rapid identification of people who have come into recent contact with confirmed cases of the virus. This is how the COVTRACER (ΙΧΝΗΛΑΤΗΣ) App will assist in limiting the further spread of disease. Using the Safepaths technology, developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — MIT, COVTRACER (ΙΧΝΗΛΑΤΗΣ) is able to use GPS information to trace a person’s movements during the course of a day. The information collected by the App is essential in identifying where a confirmed carrier has been so that timely interventions such as evacuations and disinfection of spaces can take place immediately, limiting exposure to the infectious virus. Most importantly, COVTRACER (ΙΧΝΗΛΑΤΗΣ) can assist in locating those who are close to or have been exposed to a carrier so that they too can be appropriately tested or treated. The first and pilot version of the mobile App is designed for those whose work requires movement—for example, police and security forces, doctors, nurses and fire fighters.
The part of the App that collects information on the user’s location(s) is strictly VOLUNTARY. The data collected remains only on the user’s device. The user is the only one who has access to the data which belongs solely to the user. A confirmed carrier of the virus can share the information related to his/her movements over the previous two weeks with state epidemiologists IF AND ONLY IF he/she choses to do so.
The Deputy Ministry for Research, Innovation and Digital Policy and RISE invite everyone to contribute to these efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19 on the island by installing the COVTRACER (ΙΧΝΗΛΑΤΗΣ) on their mobile devices. A special appeal is made to those whose movements are not currently limited, like those listed above—namely, doctors, nurses, police, fire fighters, security forces and others.
For additional information and to download the App, please visit the website: http://covid-19.rise.org.cy/
The RISE team is already working with government doctors and epidemiologists to develop three additional services that will improve the functionality and effectiveness of the next version of the COVTRACER (ΙΧΝΗΛΑΤΗΣ) App.
CovTracer app is based on the MIT project safepaths with the contribution of XM.com and Prountzos & Prountzos LLC
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