Covid-19: Apps, artificial intelligence to help tackle scare

Apps powered by artificial intelligence are helping people screen themselves for the novel coronavirus, reducing the pressure on healthcare institutions and warning those at high risk of developing the infection across the world and also in India.

Two Indian-origin researchers, one in Australia and the other in the US, have led their teams to develop Covid-19 specific risk checker apps to counter the fear and confusion surrounding the infection, declared a pandemic by the WHO.

While Abhi Bhatia, cofounder of Medius Health, an AI digital health company in Australia, launched his platform on March 4, Arni SR Srinivasa Rao from Augusta University in the US and his team will be doing so soon. The apps can be used to reach someone really early on, educate the public, deliver accurate information relevant to their symptoms and quell the fears of people.