UST engineers make entrances safer with BEATRICE
iT is all part of the new normal to observe safety precautionary measures, wear face masks and face shields and observe social distancing when people are outside. additionally, people have to fill out contact tracing forms before entering any establishment or make use of a QR code.
While vaccination is seen as the only hope to fight the effects of Covid-19, the government’s vaccination roll out program is seeing some delays. due to this, the practice of safety precautionary measures remains a priority.
The european Centre for disease Prevention and Control implemented the non- Pharmaceutical intervention (npi) against Covid-19. npi is a public measure which aims to mitigate the transmission of Covid-19 according to Centers for disease Control and Prevention (CDC), npis are among the best public health interventions against the pandemic consisting of three main categories: (1) individual, (2) environmental, (3) population related with widespread, timely testing and contact tracing.
Contact Tracing is one of the npis used to battle against Covid-19, and one form of this is to require all establishments to ask people to fill out several contact tracing forms or scan QR codes before entering their establishment.
However, the practice of writing the same details all over again each time we an establishment does not only eat up one’s time; it can also be tiresome. This is where Project B.e.a.t.r.i.c.e. comes in.
Project B.e.a.t.r.i.c.e., an acronym for “Buildings and establishments automated Temperature Reading integrated Contact Tracing equipment,’’ is both a hardware and software system designed to increase the efficiency of contact tracing in buildings and establishments.
This is a dedicated, full contactless contact tracing equipment where the user will have a one-time registration to acquire a QR code i.d, and all that he has to do is to bring his i.d anywhere. For as long as Project B.e.a.t.r.i.c.e. is there, and as easy as 1,2,3, tap, he taps his i.d, scans his temperature, disinfects, and he is good to go! Being contactless, this will also provide more safety to establishment frontliners such as the guards and door attendants.
The project was developed by eenovatics, a startup under the department of Science and Technology Tomasinno Center (DOSTTOMASINNO Center UST). eenovatics’ tagline is “We create and integrate.”
eenovatics is composed of two electrical engineering graduates from the University of Santo Tomas, Souichi a. Takahama, who graduated in 2018 and andrea Pauline d. de guzman, who graduated in 2020. Their mission is “to provide technological innovation to issues faced by the world through research and development, with a vision of continuously innovating and creating solutions for a better world.”
eenovatics developed project B.e.a.t.r.i.c.e. as a way to address particular issues that are encountered in the existing contact tracing efforts. Some of these issues include incomplete contact tracing forms, no centralized contact tracing solutions, long queues at every entrance and the unavailability of smartphones and/or access to the internet of some citizens. With project B.e.a.t.r.i.c.e., eenovatics aims to provide a permanent solution as a preparation for any future pandemic.
The eenovatics team conducted its pilot testing on december 18, 2020 at d’banquet, a restaurant in Tagaytay City. The team was able to deploy and test its first prototype and is now continuously improving the system. The goal is to deploy Project B.e.a.t.r.i.c.e. in different establishments in Tagaytay City and eventually, in the whole country to centralize the contact tracing initiative, with the collective efforts and collaboration of business owners and citizens who patronize the establishments.
Currently, eenovatics is looking for investors to help their startup business grow. With the intention of making every entrance safer, they hope that B.e.a.t.r.i.c.e can soon provide the safety and convenience that it is intended to offer.