Tech To Aid Contact Tracing Released By Apple, Google To Drive Apps That Track COVID-19 Exposure
Health authorities in several U.S. states and 22 other countries have requested access to the new technology, developed for use on mobile devices to notify someone who was exposed to the coronavirus. Apple and Google have placed some restrictions -- for instance, governments can't require phone numbers or access location data -- which have prompted some nations to work on their own tech.
Reuters:
Apple-Google Contact Tracing Tech Draws Interest In 23 Countries, Some Hedge Bets
Authorities in 23 countries across five continents have sought access to contact tracing technology from Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google, the companies announced on Wednesday as they released the initial version of their system. (Dave, 5/20)
The Wall Street Journal:
Apple, Google Unveil Technology For Covid-19 Exposure Alerts
The tech giants, which make the world’s dominant smartphone operating systems, jointly developed the protocol for apps that can use Bluetooth signals from mobile devices to identify those that have been near each other. U.S. states including North Dakota, Alabama and South Carolina, as well as 22 countries, have requested and received access to the newly released technology, the companies said. (Haggin, 5/20)
Politico:
Apple, Google Release Coronavirus-Tracing Software — But Will It Help?
Wednesday's release includes the common code that software developers can use to create so-called contact-tracing apps for state and national governments that employ Bluetooth and other features on people's iPhones and Android smartphones. But since public health agencies must build the apps, there could be a delay before they're available for download. The release incorporates feedback from hundreds of conversations with public health agencies, government officials, academics, nonprofits and and privacy experts. Public health authorities can customize the system and combine it with data that users input voluntarily, the companies said. (Ravindranath and Overly, 5/20)
Stat:
Google Develops AI To Identify Patients At High Risk Of Blindness
Artificial intelligence has shown an increasing ability to detect and diagnose eye diseases by analyzing medical images. Now a new system developed by Google and British doctors takes a significant leap forward by predicting which patients with a common condition are most likely to lose their sight. The new AI, described in a paper published Monday in the journal Nature, is designed to predict imminent risk of total vision loss in patients with age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in the developed world. The paper reports that the computer outperformed most eye specialists in determining which patients were most likely to lose sight in both eyes. (Ross, 5/18)
