Back in early 2020, TrendWatching launched ‘Covid Innovations’ to inspire entrepreneurs and marketers to serve their customers better in dire covid times.
With covid no longer deeply impacting daily life, we’re fully focused again on all innovations that make the world a little bit better - check out MakeShift, our free weekly publication to stay on top of the latest trends, insights and innovations.
Called “The In Car Care Unit”, the drive-through clinic is conceived to be a midway point between tele-health, where doctors might miss critical symptoms, and physical clinic visits. It is designed to be easily deployed in hospital parking garages and would take up 60 feet of space (the amount of space between two columns in a hospital parking lot). The components of the unit could be prefabricated elsewhere and installed quickly on site.
Read MoreWaterWipes is supporting new and expecting parents during lockdown by hosting virtual expert-staffed panels and providing community interaction through its Early Days Club virtual community.
Read MoreThe face mask, called 'C-Mask,' can be worn over regular, fabric-based masks. It connects to an app via Bluetooth, enabling it to transcribe speech to text messages, which are then sent via the user’s smartphone. It can also translate from Japanese into eight other languages and amplify the user’s voice, in case they are not heard through the mask.
Read MoreThe digital design specialist made this video in order to prepare medical staff in remote locations to respond to a possible spike in cases. Virtual reality is an immersive technology that benefits medical personnel by generating a 3D, interactive environment in settings that are often hard to simulate with 2D graphics. Through surgery on a mannequin, the video depicts a doctor treating a COVID patient suffering from respiratory failure.
Read MoreThe system has already been used to sanitise the Greater Boston Food Bank. In tests, the robot covered a 4,000 square foot area of the warehouse within 30 minutes, providing enough light to neutralise around 90% of COVID particles. Teleoperators have first to teach the robot a route around the site, then it follows waypoints around a map of the venue. The next step is enabling the robot to adapt to changes in its environment.
Read MoreThe senior living community, scheduled to open this fall at Oconomowoc, will have a very safe hospital-grade air purification system that is used by UW Hospital Madison and Mayo Clinic. The senior living community will also feature keyless locks, a video capable entrance system for visitors so residents can see who is visiting them, commercial laundry machines for a higher level of sanitation and a state-of-the-art whirlpool spa tub with FDA-recognized UV water purification system.
Read MoreOrganisations can engage Xenex’s team of experts on a project basis to utilize Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots to kill harmful viruses, bacteria and spores that stay on commonly touched surfaces and pose a risk for disease transmission. The robot uses a xenon lamp to generate bursts of high intensity, broad-spectrum (200-315nm) ultraviolet light that’s more intense than sunlight, and is proven to destroy the virus that causes COVID, in two minutes.
Read MoreThe systems come in two styles: a tunnel model and a booth model, which have three design variants each, and can be used at the entrance of high-density public hotspots. These walk-in systems provide individuals with a touch-free experience and can sanitise them within a five-second time frame. With social distancing measures in place, the tunnels allow for approximately 750 walk-ins per hour.
Read MoreThe PULSE is a pendant that you can hang from your neck like a necklace that starts vibrating when your hand gets close to the device. It is supposed to remind you to stay away from your face zone. NASA doesn't have a shop so the design instructions to make the PULSE are available free for anyone.
Read MoreIsraeli researchers invented a mask with a USB port that connects to a mobile phone charger to self-clean from the heat of the device. The power source can heat an inner layer of carbon fibres to 70°C. The desinfection process takes about 30 minutes. The researches hope the invention can alleviate the mask shortage during the COVID and in post-COVID times.
Read MoreThe ASEPT-UV Sterilizing Robot, presented as the logical solution for an ecological disinfection, kills germs in the environment by decomposing their DNA structures, thus preventing and reducing the spread of viruses, bacteria and other harmful microorganisms. It is able to move autonomously for a timed, fixed-point and can multi-track mobile disinfection and sterilization in large areas.
Read MoreFred Erik’s Sufficient Space suits warns the wearer’s bystanders with an acoustic warning signal when they come too close. If ignored, the suit protects its wearer by inflating itself. Much like a pufferfish, this transformation is both a visual sign to its surroundings and a physical form of protection for the user.
Read MoreThe clear domes offer participants over 110 square feet of private, heated space. LMNTS studio came up with the idea as they believe in taking care of the mental health of their clients whilst respecting social distancing, especially given the stress, fear and uncertainty brought on by COVID.
Read MoreCleansBox is a pocket-size box that enables people to carry and sanitize their masks anywhere at any time, thanks to UVC light. UVCcleans has started a fundraising campaign on Indiegogo, with great success.
Read MoreGlimpse Analytics' AI-based analytics device, that uses existing CCTV cameras in stores or offices to provide customer analytics, data on customers, employees, and merchandise to retailers, was repurposed to identify people not wearing masks or violating social distancing norms. It sends alerts via email, SMS/ WhatsApp, or the Glimpse Analytics mobile app, including an image of the particular area to prove the violation.
Hitesh Sharma, knitting technologist (CQA) and President of the International Federation of Knitting Technologists (IFKT), Canada/US section has developed a circular knitted fabric which can be used for the production of non-medical protective facemasks, and is making this H97-LoopCluster innovation available at no cost to circular knitted fabric manufacturers worldwide.
Read MoreThe platform directs people to sites of care and support, based on their self-reported needs and emotional states. It brings together a variety of carefully curated resources across the social and healthcare systems, such as helplines and counselling by phone, employment support or family and caregiving support. One feature of this platform is a clinically validated self-assessment tool providing people with a set of recommended actions based on their assessment results.
Read MoreThe necklace, called sChoker, crafted from carbon fibre, integrates thermal sensors which identify the infrared radiations emanating from the temperature of those passing by. It will then let the wearer know if they are at a safe or dangerous distance using either a visual or audio signal.
Read MoreA herbal extract obtained from neem oil, turmeric, tulsi (holy basil), ajwain (carom seeds), black pepper, gum arabic, clove, sandalwood and saffron has been used in the non-woven nano-fibre of this biodegradable mask, named 'pavitrapati', a patented invention.
Read MoreThe team of Takataka Plastics created small machines that sort, shred, and melt the plastic so that it can be remade into construction materials and, most recently, reusable, locally made plastic face shields for healthcare workers who are fighting COVID.
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