Robots are now part of Rwanda’s fight against COVID-19 and will help minimize risk of infections among health care workers. These Anti-epidemic robots can screen 50 to 150 people per minute among other vital tasks
Use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Tackling the Rise & Spread of COVID-19
Despite several apparent limitations, globally, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are providing ways to tackle the rise and spread of COVID-19.
AI platforms, BlueDot, HealthMap, and Metabiota, reportedly flagged the virus in Wuhan China, nine days before it was announced by WHO, and have been accurate in predicting its spread. With the rapid spread of the virus clearly putting a strain on the medical staff, the likes of Baidu and Alibaba have reportedly developed AI systems that can screen people for possible symptoms.
Giving an example of Thailand – the latest report suggests, COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, had infected more than 349,000 people worldwide, and has killed more than 15,000 but more than 700 people in Thailand are infected, though the country has only recorded one death from COVID-19.
The question now is – how is Thailand managing the spread of COVID-19? As the novel coronavirus continues to spread worldwide, healthcare workers are facing a shortage of supplies and personnel hence some hospitals in Thailand are now using “ninja robots” to help in the fight against coronavirus.
The wheeled robots can take the temperature of patients and handle other interactions, reducing the risk of exposure to medical workers who don’t need to be present. The team creating the robots is working on ways to make the bots even more useful, so that they can deliver food, clean and handle other jobs.
For the most part, responses from governments, disease control agencies, non-profit organisations, and private sectors across the continent have been laudable. However, there are lessons to be learnt from the lack of advanced technologies that could help tackle the spread of the virus in Africa and Rwanda becomes the first country to embrace the need for AI and ML in tackling the rise & spread of COVID-19.
Five anti-epidemic robots – named Akazuba, Ikirezi, Mwiza, Ngabo, and Urumuri – will be mainly used to administer temperature checks, monitor patient status, and keep medical records of COVID-19 patients, the Health Ministry announced in a series of tweets.
“These high-tech robots have the capacity to screen 50 to 150 people per minute, deliver food and medication to patient rooms, capture data and notify officers on duty about detected abnormalities,” the ministry said.
Health Minister Ngamije Daniel said the robots will fasten service delivery and help protect the lives of valuable health workers.
“Medics and other frontline workers visit patients’ room many times to deliver medication, meals, carry out tests, among other things – and this may increase their risk of contracting the virus,” he was quoted as saying by local daily The New Times.
The robots are the result of joint efforts by the Rwandan Ministry of ICT and Innovation and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
“The infectious nature of COVID-19 calls for technological innovations to tackle the pandemic. This is why Rwanda has introduced robots and drones among other high-tech initiatives to enhance efficiency in the fight,” ICT and Innovation Minister Paula Ingabire said.
UNDP representative Stephen Rodriques said the project marks the “beginning of a great collaboration […] that’s part of a broader partnership” with the East African country.
Rwanda, a major innovation and technology hub in Africa, has recorded 308 coronavirus cases so far, with zero deaths and 209 recoveries, according to official figures.
To date, more than 52,300 tests have been carried out in the country of over 12 million.
