RE:ApplicationCost Isn't so bad:
- Imagine we could saliva test students daily at a cost of $5 per test. This would cost $12,000 for 30 kids after 80 days.
- What is the cost savings in terms of productivity and healthcare by limiting the size of an outbreak? I don't know, but if it stops one hospitalization alone, I would imagine it pays for itself.
I think the use cases will become more obvious and evident to those thinking about how to open shared facilities in safe manner and how to handle an outbreak.
- Obvious application is contact tracing and limiting spread.
Right now, people are afraid of riding subways, or dining indoors, perhaps these devices will help make these spaces safer. If you dine in, you'll know after an hour if you were in the presence of the virus or not. Knowing that all is clear is powerful. If the alarm triggers, sure the business may have to close for cleaning and staff and customers get tested immediately. But the spread is limited, that business would have likely have had to close anyway as multiple patrons or staff could have developped symptoms. Business as usual for everybody else.
I read a comment where somebody mentioned that business owners won't roll this out because they'll have to close if the alarm gets triggerred. I say no way. If you owned a shop and you had to work there all day, you definitely want to know if there is coronavirus in the air, for your heath, your staff's health, and your customer's health. You'd just close to clean, get tested, then reopen. Conversely, for some businesses, maybe you need one of these products in order to be able to safely operate.
If covid is detected on a subway car, it could be closed to the public immediately for cleaning and contact tracing. The spread of the virus gets limited.
We're all waiting for vaccines and saliva tests to return our economy to a semblance of normal. But how many anti-vaxxers are out there, the vaccine won't be 100% effective, and may not last long, what happens if you catch covid between tests? What if the test was a false negative? How many hours after infection will tests detect the presence of Covid? Biocloud could fill these gaps.
There are strong, strong health and economic incentives to roll out this technology, and more use cases will become evident in time.
Doctor86 wrote:
While I respect the technology, can someone explain how this is a solution to real life function? Because thats what you need in order to sell 12K equipment. So if a school puts one in ( or how every many needed to cover a school) and a sensor goes off, then what? Evacuation? Because if doesn't identify the source. Shut down the entire group for two weeks.The only thing that identifies the source is testing and tracing. Its a great technical feat - dont get me wrong. I just don't see how it is practical and the price is a significant barrier to entry, given constraints in the public system. If someone has different thoughts, please feel free and hope you make money.