[ad_1] Fitbit is one step closer to putting its Flow ventilator into use during the pandemic. The FDA has given Fitbit an Emergency Use Authorization for the Flow to help with severe COVID-19 cases. It still doesn’t have customers lined up, but it’s “in talks” with US government agencies to gauge needs and hopes to […]
Category: health
France releases a voluntary contact tracing app
[ad_1] The French government has released a contract tracing app, called StopCovid, to notify people when they’ve been in contact with someone who is later diagnosed with COVID-19, as reported by Bloomberg. Usage of the app is entirely voluntary in France, although the effectiveness of contact tracing depends on how many people are using it. […]
Italy’s ‘Immuni’ COVID-19 contact tracing app uses Google, Apple tech
[ad_1] The exposure notification app uses Bluetooth to swap codes between mobile devices. If someone tests positive for COVID-19 and they mark that status on Immuni, it will alert people who have been in close proximity with that person. They’ll be advised to self-isolate and get tested for the virus themselves to limit the spread […]
Google put an anxiety self-assessment in search
[ad_1] Google The knowledge panel will also display information about anxiety-related symptoms and treatments. Google partnered with The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one of the largest mental health organizations in the US, to source the information. The organization is quick to point out Google won’t collect or share any of the questionnaires people […]
Google’s work from home strategy includes a $1,000 allowance
[ad_1] Google is joining other companies is planning for a return to the office as COVID-19 cases decline, but its strategy may be more elaborate than most. Company chief Sundar Pichai has outlined a roadmap that will still have most employees working from home for the rest of 2020. As a resultthe company is providing […]
Israel restricts COVID-19 phone tracking to ‘special cases’
[ad_1] Officials initially wanted to track the location of virtually every infected person with the technology, which was originally intended to fight terrorism. It theoretically helped Israel determine if people were isolating properly, and would help determine who might have been exposed. Privacy advocates quickly objected, though, and the Israeli parliament put a stop to […]
Samsung gets approval for Galaxy Watch Active 2’s ECG, but only in Korea
[ad_1] The ECG sensor on the Galaxy Watch Active 2 has gone unused for the better part of a year, but it’s finally close to fulfilling its original purpose… in one country, anyway. Samsung has received approval to use the ECG feature for measuring heart rhythms from South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. […]
Amazon accused of fighting efforts to track COVID-19 in Wisconsin facilities
[ad_1] Amazon may be improving safety measures in warehouses to protect against COVID-19, but it’s also accused of being less than forthcoming with vital data. The health officer for Kenosha County in Wisconsin, Jen Freiheit, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (via Gizmodo) that Amazon was uncooperative with public staff trying to track COVID-19 cases at […]
Fitbit’s in-app study will determine if wearables can detect COVID-19
[ad_1] Fitbit is venturing beyond its research partnerships to launch an infectious disease study of its own that’s very easy to join. The device maker has introduced a study inside its app that will help determine if smartwatches and fitness trackers can spot early signs of COVID-19, the flu and similar diseases without waiting for […]
Fitbit hopes to make ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic
[ad_1] Fitbit wants to join the host of companies making ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic. Company chief James Park told CNBC in an interview that Fitbit is shifting its production to make the potentially life-saving equipment, with plans to submit its technology to the FDA in the days ahead. And yes, the activity tracker brand […]