This new IoT device ‘Kawach’ will remind you to wash hands every 30 minutes and keep distance

• Researchers at the Lovely Professional University (LPU) developed an IoT device — ‘Kawach’ — to make sure the people practice social distancing.
  
• This mobile-like device, which can be worn as a pendant, vibrates and lights up as soon a person breaches the user’s safe space of 1 metre.
  
• It also reminds people to wash hands every 30 minutes and has a temperature sensor that would notify people via SMS, if their body temperature crosses the specified limit.
  
• Follow the comprehensive coverage of the Coronavirus pandemic and its impact, and other useful resources that can help you in the fight on Business Insider India.
  

Researchers at the Lovely Professional University (LPU) developed an IoT device — ‘Kawach’ — to make sure the people practice social distancing.

“The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended a minimum 1 metre distance between oneself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. KAWACH has been designed to help people adhere to this guideline,” the university said as the country went into a lockdown yesterday to contain the spread of Coronavirus.

The mobile-like device, which can be worn as a pendant, vibrates and lights up as soon as any person breaches the user’s safe space of 1 metre.

The device also reminds people to wash their hands every 30 minutes. It also has a temperature sensor that would send a notification SMS, if body temperature crosses the specified limit.

“While the whole world is grappling to find a vaccine for Covid-19, ‘KAWACH’ is our effort to contain the spread of this deadly virus. Social distancing and avoiding physical contact are keys to staying safe today. KAWACH enables one to achieve that by warning people in case their safe space is breached. We have already tested it internally and are now looking for the right partners to commercialise it,” said Lovi Raj Gupta, executive dean of science and technology at LPU.

The device is equipped with a human body temperature sensor, ultrasonic sensor, and a storage card. It has been successfully tested among the staff of the university.

“If everyone is so casual about social distancing India will have to pay a heavy price. And it is impossible to know how deep the price will be,” PM Modi said while announcing the nationwide lockdown. “Forget what it feels like to go outside for the next 21 days. This is a ‘Laxman Rekha’ on your door. Only one step outside the house will invite a grave pandemic like Coronavirus into your homes,” he added.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that an incubation period of the novel Coronavirus is anywhere between 2-14 days. In most cases, symptoms start to show up after five days of infection. On the other hand, there are asymptomatic cases too, which are much more difficult to identify.

India announced a complete nationwide lockdown for 21 days as the number of active Coronavirus cases hit over 500.

The pandemic has cost over 18,000 lives so far — and is showing no signs of dying down. Initial experiments and research shows that summer temperatures, humid environment may not slow down the spread.

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