StartupsVsCovid19 프로젝트
룩셈부르크 경제부는 룩셈부르크 정부 산하 기관 룩스이노베이션과 함께 코로나 바이러스로 인한 전 세계의 건강과 경제 위기에 대처하기 위하여 “StartupsVsCovid19” 프로젝트를 통해 뽑은 혁신적인 솔루션을 개발하는 15개의 우수 스타트업에게 각 최대 150,000유로를 재정적으로 지원했다. 이 중 5개의 기업들이 각 회사의 프로젝트와 COVID-19에 어떻게 기여하는지 이야기했다.
1) Arspectra: Augmented reality temperature screening (증강현실 온도 스크리닝): Arspectra사가 개발한 열센서와 AR 기능을 갖춘 “ArviGuard”라는 모바일 헤드셋을 통해서 의료진들이 여러 사람의 온도를 동시에 측정하고 밀접 접촉 없이 잠재적 COVID-19 사례를 감지 할 수 있다.
2) Utopian Future Technologies: Optimised ambulance dispatching (최적화된 구급차 파견): Utopian Future Technologies 모빌리티 테크 스타트업사는 유럽 최대의 운영 업체 및 교통 당국에 온디맨드 승차를 위한 서비스형 소프트웨어 (Software-as-a-Service) 플랫폼을 제공한다.
3) SOVI Solutions: Enhancing communication with intensive care patients (중환자실과의 커뮤니케이션 강화): SOVI Solutions은 보조 기술, 특히 AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) 소프트웨어에 특화되어 있다. 이 소프트웨어는 환자와 보호자간에 연결을 위한 통신 도구로 사용되며 이를 통해 서비스 개선 및 의사 소통 장벽도 줄일 수 있다.
4)CoCo World: Promoting online peer learning (온라인 학습 촉진): CoCo World의 플랫폼을 통해 개인 또는 그룹 학습 세션을 주선함으로써, 온라인 수업 중에도 서로에게 배울 수 있다.
5)GlobeEye®: Coupling Earth observation and COVID-19 (지구 관측과 COVID-19 결합): GlobeEye®사는 ‘Space-to-Breath’라는 프로젝트를 통해 COVID-19의 확산에 영향을 미칠 것으로 생각되는 오염 가스의 분포와 소스를 식별하고 추적하는 것을 목표로 한다.
Augmented reality temperature screening
Specialised in the design of novel augmented reality (AR) solutions for the healthcare market, Arspectra is developing thermal cameras for screening the temperature of people in places with a high throughput, such as airports. Its ArviGuard mobile headsets equipped with thermal sensors and AR capabilities will allow police officers, security agents or healthcare staff to measure the temperature of multiple people simultaneously and detect potential COVID-19 cases without any close contact.
“ArviGuard will significantly reduce the risk of contamination and enable agents to make quick and fluid health controls,” says Head of Product Development Arnaud Legros.
Optimised ambulance dispatching
Mobility tech start-up Utopian Future Technologies provides an end-to-end Software-as-a-Service platform for on-demand ride pooling to Europe’s largest operators and transport authorities. “With COVID-19, the number of non-urgent ambulance trips increased strongly,” says co-founder and CEO Jean-Luc Rippinger. “The dispatching is handled manually and lacks optimisation and transparency.” The company is now developing a smart dispatching system that optimises and coordinates ambulance routes through algorithms and automatically schedules vehicle disinfection following interventions related to COVID-19 cases.
Enhancing communication with intensive care patients
SOVI Solutions is specialised in assistive technologies, in particular augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) software. It is currently adapting its communication tool for intubated and hospitalised COVID-19 – and other – patients. “Intubated patients generally have difficulties expressing themselves verbally and making their needs understood,” explains co-founder Alessio Weber. “Our software will include artificial voice communication for intubated patients, as well as a cloud-connected symbol-based communication system to be used between patients and care givers.”
The solution, which can also be helpful for foreign-language patients, will improve patient services, save time and reduce communication barriers.
Promoting online peer learning
Adapting to online education during the COVID-19 related lockdown was challenging for many students. CoCo World, a social start-up committed to promoting peer learning, studies students’ online education experience during confinement and found that they missed a dedicated space to study with their peers.
“Our Peer Square solution is an online study platform for secondary school students in Luxembourg, powered by AI to optimise the online learning experience,” says founder Caroline Assaf. “It will allow them to learn from each other and with each other by engaging with a community of peers, finding peer tutors and arranging individual or group study sessions.”
Coupling Earth observation and COVID-19
GlobeEye® uses Earth observation data to develop insights for the asset management industry. The startup’s project “Space-to-Breath” is aimed at identifying and tracing the distribution and sources of polluting gases believed to have an impact on the dissemination of COVID-19.
“Research argues that air pollution is highly correlated to the spreading of the virus and the severity of the symptoms,” explains Board Chair Dr Silvia Pepino. “We will use satellite and other remote sensing data to map levels and changes in polluting gases in the atmosphere. This work can be helpful for future planning and policy actions related to a broad set of health and climate problems.”