Rising to the challenge
Power of digital technology is helping Chinese overcome the biggest crisis many of them have ever faced, says Alipay
As the Covid-19 pandemic spreads globally, China’s experience with fighting the virus by harnessing innovative digital technology has been gaining more attention. Chinese tech companies have put to work their best solutions — from blockchain to robotics, to the humble QR code — to help those fighting the virus on the front lines.
BLOCKCHAIN
Alipay has launched a block chain powered online information platform for epidemic prevention materials in Zhejiang province, ensuring more transparent logistics and usage of these materials.
In Gansu province, the Alibaba affiliate Ant Financial launched a blockchain-powered online bid opening system, enabling small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) to participate in contactless bidding remotely during the outbreak. The system ensures materials and procedures of bid openings are tamper-proof, making participation transparent and trustworthy.
Ant Duo-Chain, a blockchain-powered supply chain finance platform developed by Ant Financial, is helping many SME suppliers apply for bank loans based on their receivables from large enterprises. This helps them deal with potential financial constraints during the epidemic. For example, Guangzhou Wubiao, an import-export company, recently received 2 million yuan in loans against its receivables from the e-commerce platform 1919. com.
Blockchain technology is also being used to ensure that front-line medical workers in Hubei province are getting the donations of face masks, medical materials and cash they badly need through the Shanzong tracking platform, initiated by startup Hyperchain and China Xiong’an Group.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Automated temperature monitoring and tracking applications have been deployed in subways, train stations, airports and social service centres in many Chinese cities to identify and track people with high temperatures, and to assist with necessary actions.
Considering the capabilities of the systems, they could be of great help with screening. One system from Megvii is able to test 300 people in a minute, and a version from SenseTime can identify those who are without masks.
The Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, meanwhile, worked with Yitu Healthcare, a Shanghai-based AI startup, to introduce the Intelligent
Evaluation System of Chest CT for Covid-19 on Jan 28. It uses intelligent diagnosis and quantitative evaluation of CT images and grades the severity of various lung conditions.
To reduce virus transmission through direct contact in high-traffic public places such as residential communities, hospitals and railway stations, Sugr Technology has developed a voice-controlled non-contact electrical switch.
QR CODE
Administrators in more than 200 cities across China are using temporary health code services via Alipay miniprograms, in addition to other platforms such as WeChat and dedicated web portals run by epidemic mitigation authorities.
After user authorisation, the health code service will ask the user to fill in an online form and self-report some basic information, including the city the user is currently in, whether the person has any symptoms related to Covid-19, and whether they travelled to hard-hit areas in the past 14 days.
The service will assign a QR code in one of three colours — red, yellow or green — to indicate the person’s risk level. To pass manned checkpoints at airports and train stations, city administrators require residents to show their QR codes.
ROBOTS AND DRONES
Keenon Robotics Co, a Shanghai-based startup, has seen its commercial robots used in a number of Chinese hospitals dealing with confirmed and suspected Covid-19 cases. These service robots can deliver food, medicines and goods to isolation wards after receiving directions from operators, helping reduce contact infection and the need for manpower.
A mobile CT imaging vehicle from Ping An Health Inspection Center helped people in Wuhan to diagnose Covid-19 outside hospitals. The vehicle is equipped with a full-body CT machine linked to 5G. CT scans are considered the most effective and accurate method for diagnosing Covid-19.
To reinforce contactless monitoring, Pudu Technology of Shenzhen has installed its drones in more than 40 hospitals to help medical staff. Micro Multi Copter, also based in Shenzhen, is deploying drones to transport medical samples and conduct thermal imaging.
Neolix, a driverless delivery business based in Beijing, has attracted customers including Alibaba, Meituan Dianping and JD.Com, booking orders for more than 200 vehicles in the past two months. Neolix’s small vans help customers reduce physical contact and address labour shortages caused by lingering quarantines and travel restrictions.
SUPERCOMPUTERS
Chinese supercomputing centres are also involved in medical diagnosis and treatment, drug screening, genomics detection and analysis through software and computational support. Beijing Super Cloud Computing Center, for instance, has provided resources to help scientific research workers with gene sequencing, vaccine development, drug screening and mutation prediction.
Tencent also opened up its supercomputing facilities to help researchers racing to find a cure, with Beijing Life Sciences Institute and Tsinghua University among the participants.
DETECTION AND PROTECTION
In Singapore, iThermo, a new
temperature screening device that uses AI to spot feverish individuals, is being piloted to reduce the need for a manual process. The real-time screening device uses a smartphone fitted with thermal and 3D laser cameras to detect the forehead temperature of individuals walking by, even if they are wearing spectacles, surgical masks or headgear.
This system helps address the problem of long queues in some places given the time needed for temperature screening using a manual process.
Also in Singapore, Grab has introduced a dedicated, round-the-clock, on-demand GrabCare service to enable healthcare professionals to travel to and from hospitals seamlessly.
In Hong Kong, the robotics developer Roborn Technology has introduced a robot that can detect the temperature of human bodies within five metres. It will send out a warning signal if it finds anybody with a fever.
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Millions of citizens have filled out online forms and been assigned QR codes in red, yellow or green to indicate their risk level.