While a vaccine for the coronavirus has yet to be developed, countries around the world are slowly opening up again after months of lockdown. And to prevent the further spread of the virus, many have implemented strict measures to promote good hygiene in public places, prevent large social gatherings, and to instill a habit of social distancing in businesses, schools, offices, and other public spaces. And while masks, face shields, and other personal protective equipment are the common modes of protection, companies are also developing technology to curb the virus's spread.
The French designer and manufacturer of ultra-miniaturized electronic components, Insight SiP, for example, recently launched the "Security Bubble Covid-19." According to the company, it's an electronic device that generates a virtual barrier around the wearer "to help them comply with governments' health and safety recommendations to protect their citizens from contamination by Covid-19."
The wearable device that puts you in a "security bubble' to promote social distancing
The small "Security Bubble Covid-19" wearable device can take the form of an electronic tag. In a given space, each person, equipped with a tag, generates an individual invisible "Security Bubble" to help them keep their physical distancing. The device can be programmed to meet social distancing recommendations from 1-2 meters.
It uses a low power level microwave radio pulse technology to recognize its position in relation to other "Security Bubbles" with an accuracy of a few centimeters. Each Security Bubble automatically interacts with its neighboring Security Bubbles. When the Security Bubbles are too close to each other, they collide and an alarm alerts the wearers of the devices.
And thanks to the miniaturization provided by Insight SiP, the electronics can be integrated into many products such as portable identification tags, bracelets, security equipment, clothing, hard hats for construction, and many more.
Existing technology
According to Insight SiP, "the Security Bubble is comparable to the invisible perimeter safety barriers implemented at swimming pools and the invisible safety barriers employed in the industry to warn workers of an unauthorized entry into a machine or robot operating area. Instead of infrared light beams as in the examples above, Security Bubble devices use low power radio waves."
They envision the device to be worn in workplaces including offices, warehouses, factories, construction sites; commercial spaces including pubs, restaurants, shops, supermarkets; and public spaces including public sector offices, community centers, schools, universities, museums.
"The Security Bubbles do not capture any personal data and conform to GDPR regulations. If required, it is possible to adapt the Security Bubbles to retrieve data and allow tracking by integrating data storage software into the tags," they added.
