This bracelet will keep quarantined in line
KOCHI: Jumping the quarantine by individuals has been a persistent headache for health workers. Ever since the announcement of Covid-19 lockdown, many quarantine violation cases have been reported across the state. In a solution to prevent such cases, M G Gireeshan, an electronics professor, has invented a ‘safety hand bracelet’ which will alert neighbours and officials by ringing an alarm if the individual under observation breaches the norms.
“As quarantine violations are being widely reported, the hand bracelet will help the officials to ensure that people are strictly following the norms. The waterproof equipment made up of plastic will remain with the individual throughout 14 days of observation,” said Gireeshan, vice-principal of Jai Bharath College, Perumbavoor.
According to the developer, the device, once tied around a patient’s wrist at the beginning of the quarantine period, will immediately alert the officials in case the person flouts the quarantine rules. “If the person removes the device or goes beyond the set limits, the bracelet will alert officials and neighbours right away through the beep sound from the receivers kept in their buildings. The bracelet will always be in contact with the receivers and any form of disconnection will directly alert the officials and neighbours,” he said.
Police officials who handle the equipment can set the distance of the patient’s movement. The device, which works with high frequency (HF) technology, will alert the cops if the persons cross the limits. “As we are not taking their GPS data or any other details, there is no violation of privacy or fundamental rights here,” said Gireeshan.
Though the professor has incurred `4,000 for developing the device, he is confident of producing it commercially for a price below `2,000. “Instead of developing a mobile application for monitoring, the device coming without any complex components will be able to do the required function cheaply. I have approached a few police officials too. I’m hopeful of getting the approval soon,” he added.