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Coronavirus battle will be won with medical science and the latest technology

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Big tech companies are uniting to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Doctors in the red zone at Huaqiao Hospital in Suzhou, China, are using more than 20 hands-free head-mounted tablets donated by RealWear to talk to colleagues in the green zone. The voice-activated tablets allow the green zone doctors to mentor their red zone colleagues while halving the number of medical professionals on the front line. The head-mounted tablets also reduce exposure to cross-infection and cut down on the depletion of protective gear and equipment.

The combination of voice-operated and hands-free RealWear tablets and thermal cameras are being used to instantly take temperatures from a distance in hospitals and at borders both in China and the United Arab Emirates. It can take up to three minutes to take a temperature using traditional techniques that involve body contact between the medical professional and the patient. Infections spread from patient to medical practitioner is a huge risk, especially during a pandemic in crowded environments.

Company-X is the first Australasian reseller of RealWear head-mounted tablets.

Cisco Systems Inc responded to the unprecedented increase in remote working worldwide by expanding the capabilities of its free Webex video conferencing solution. The additional Webex features include unlimited usage for up to 100 participants and offers toll dial-in in addition to existing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) capabilities. Additionally, through partners and its sales team, Cisco is providing free 90-day licenses to businesses who are not Webex customers. Cisco is also helping existing clients meet rapidly changing needs as they enable a much larger number of remote workers by expanding their usage at no additional cost.

Google is helping businesses and schools stay connected with their employees and pupils by providing free access to its advanced Hangouts Meet video-conferencing capabilities to all G Suite and G Suite for Education clients globally. The offering includes larger meetings, for up to 250 participants per call, live streaming for up to 100,000 viewers with a domain, and the ability to record meetings and save them to Google Drive. These features are typically available in the Enterprise editions of G Suite.

Microsoft is offering a free six-month trial of Office 365, including its Microsoft Teams communication and collaboration platform, in response to the increased need for employees to work from home. This offer, including Word, Powerpoint and Outlook, is intended for any customer who is managed by a Microsoft account representative.

Amazon unlisted more than one million items claiming to cure or defend against coronavirus.

“There is no place for price gouging on Amazon,” an Amazon spokesperson said. “We continue to actively monitor our store and remove offers that violate our policies.”

Facebook banned advertising profiting on the crisis.

Facebook is “taking steps to stop ads for products that refer to the coronavirus and create a sense of urgency, like implying a limited supply, or guaranteeing a cure or prevention,” a Facebook spokesperson said.

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About Author

David Hallett

David Hallett is a co-founder and director of Hamilton software specialist Company-X