Microsoft Engineer Developing Covid-19 Tracking Application based on Fan Tracking App Technology
The Care19 app, a new tool designed for contact tracing of COVID-19 cases, has been introduced by Gov. Doug Burgum during a recent COVID-19 briefing. The app, created by Tim Brookins, a principal software engineer at Fargo's Microsoft campus and CEO of sports app software company ProudCrowd, is aimed at helping reduce the spread of the virus in the United States.
Brookins, who previously developed the Bison Tracker app for North Dakota State University football fans, found inspiration for Care19 in his earlier work. The Bison Tracker app, which saw more than 15,000 football fans from various states and provinces accessing it in 2020, provided a foundation for the contact tracing app.
The Care19 app collects data on users' movements and interactions across the USA, assigning a risk score based on their activity. Users can categorize their movement into different groups such as work or grocery, providing a more accurate assessment of their risk level.
Users are given a random ID number and their locations are cached throughout the day. The information collected by the app is valuable for state officials in their modelling and planning, according to Tim Brookins.
The app is currently available for Apple Store users and will be available for Android devices within a week. It's important to note that the app does not require names, phone numbers, or log-in information, ensuring user privacy.
Once a user tests positive for the virus, the Care19 app retraces their steps to find potential contacts. It shows all the places a user has been for at least 15 minutes, a time frame that federal health officials have identified as high-risk for contracting the virus if there's face-to-face contact.
Gov. Burgum, a former executive at Microsoft, sparked the idea for the Care19 app during a COVID-19 brainstorming session with Microsoft engineers. The app is free and optional, with users who stay home for the most part with occasional trips to the grocery store or gas station assigned to a low-risk pool. On the other hand, users who go to work for eight hours, especially for jobs deemed essential, are likely placed in the high-risk bucket.
The Care19 app is designed to be a valuable resource in the ongoing fight against COVID-19. By providing a tool for contact tracing, it aims to help state officials model the spread of the virus and take necessary precautions to protect the public.
Read also:
- Eight strategies for promoting restful slumber in individuals with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Exploring the Strength of Minimally Digestible Diets: A Roadmap to Gastrointestinal Healing
- Secondhand Smoke: Understanding its Nature, Impact on Health, and Additional Facts
- Overseeing and addressing seizure-induced high blood pressure complications in pregnancy, known as eclampsia
