Derq's AI platform detecting adherence to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines
May 4, 2020 - Our lives have changed because of COVID-19. We must be vigilant and aware of our surroundings more than ever before. Governments and societies are slowly opening up, experimenting with the effect of safeguarding people’s livelihoods while maintaining community health. As vaccines are still under development, our communities are recommended to follow strong guidelines of social distancing to protect ourselves and our loved ones, and trust that others are doing the same. This will be our new normal.
Can technology help? Yes. Most COVID-19 infections happen in community spaces, areas we used to always visit, places that are already covered by security cameras for safety. These same cameras can also be used to ensure our health. Adding a smart analytical layer on top of camera feeds can help implement the new global safety standards and free citizens from their homes. And by leveraging existing infrastructure, we achieve the fastest and most cost effective way to safeguard against the disease spread while maintaining the privacy of our communities. In these videos (link #1, link #2), one can get a glimpse of the technology in action.
When Derq was asked how we could help cities tackle COVID-19, we rose to the opportunity. Citizen safety has been our primary focus since Derq’s inception. Our award-winning AI predictive algorithms, first used for road and pedestrian safety, are being leveraged to measure the distance between people, how long they interact, whether face masks are being used or not, and if establishments are following occupancy requirements. We can produce actionable results that we report to a customized dashboard. We can also automate and push notifications to the community members and leaders. And, we can do this in the places that matter most, such as roads, malls, hospitals, offices, factories, parks and beaches.
Of course, we cannot do it alone. Governments and businesses are our partners to implement innovative society-wide solutions to ensure the safety of their employees, customers and citizens. The timing is critical and we are eager to help. Together, we will come out of this pandemic stronger, safer and healthier.