Irish space technologies to help tackle COVID-19
Irish tech companies are set to use space to combat coronavirus. A virtual command centre will be used to coordinate emergency responses, and wearable 5G-enabled technology will help to monitor the health of COVID-19 patients remotely.
The ESA-backed projects were announced today by government agency Enterprise Ireland. The technologies will be trialled in Ireland and other ESA member states, including Italy.
The virtual command centre is being developed by Dublin-based software and space technology company Skytek and its industrial consortium, which includes Irish and Italian health authorities and hospitals.
Called React 2, the platform will provide information on the current state of local outbreaks to hospitals, the ambulance service, and many other healthcare providers, to help coordinate emergency responses.
It will supply case numbers taken from a computerised infectious disease reporting system, and acute admissions data taken from hospital monitoring systems.
Using a satellite-enabled system, data will be transmitted securely and reliably to users – even if they are in remote and rural areas. Notifications will be generated when suspected case numbers exceed a certain level.
The information will help decision-makers quickly understand where outbreaks are worsening, so healthcare support and medical supplies can be directed to areas most in need.
As the pandemic continues, telemedicine is becoming increasingly important to help reduce hospital admissions and ease the growing pressure on healthcare services.
Cork-based medical device company PMD Solutions is working with its partners to develop the patient monitoring system Corona-RS. It will be used to by doctors to keep a close eye on patients in the community suffering with the effects of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses.
When patients suffer respiratory failure at home, it is critical that they be admitted to hospital as quickly as possible. But, using current remote monitoring systems, information on respiratory health is often sent from a body-worn sensor to the healthcare provider via an intermediate device. This extra step may lead to delays in diagnosis.
The Corona-RS system includes a wearable respiratory rate monitor called RespiraSense. The sensor uses 5G technology to keep constantly connected so that critical information on patient status can be sent directly to medical professionals. The sensor’s location is tracked using ESA’s Galileo satellite system so patients can be easily found.
An early trial at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, demonstrated that the system could spot patients at risk from suffering respiratory failure 12 hours earlier than is normally possible.
Damien English, Irish minister of state for business, employment and retail, said: “I am very pleased to see further examples of Irish technology companies leading the way in developing innovative technologies to help mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It shows how Ireland’s investment in ESA is supporting Irish companies to develop solutions that make a real difference to our lives. These projects also clearly demonstrate how space technology can deliver tangible solutions to current and emerging challenges, including our global fight against the pandemic.”
Tom Kelly, divisional manager Enterprise Ireland, said: “It is very encouraging to see client companies leading the way in Europe in research and innovation and in adapting space technologies to address real and immediate needs. Space technology pushes boundaries and the solutions associated with this innovation have applications in a variety of settings, including tackling the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. We expect to see further innovations from Irish companies in the coming months supported through the government’s investment in ESA.”
Rita Rinaldo, head of ESA’s partner-led thematic schemes initiatives, said: “We are extremely pleased with the opportunity to support Irish Industry in delivering solutions to address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The projects will show-case the value of space assets in providing unique benefits to healthcare institutions, care providers and user communities. We look forward to further cooperating with Enterprise Ireland and Irish government authorities in this initiative.”
The projects are funded by ESA Business Applications, which is part of the ESA Space Solutions programme.