UPM apologises for
confusion caused by app that supposedly detects Covid-19 through selfies
13.4.2020
The purpose of the app is for early
detection, not for diagnosis, said the UPM vice-chancellor for research and
innovation.
The
purpose of the app is for early detection, not for diagnosis, said the UPM
vice-chancellor for research and innovation.
Universiti Putra
Malaysia has apologised for sharing an infographic on 10
innovations and initiatives by its researchers to fight Covid-19, which
included an app that was claimed to detect the coronavirus by analysing
selfies. Universiti Putra
Malaysia (UPM) has apologised for causing confusion over a
medical innovation infographic which featured an app where users can upload
selfies to get tested for Covid-19.
Idrus said the app, which uses
AI to analyse digital biomarkers, still needs to be verified using clinical
data. — Screenshot from UPM FacebookUniversiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) has
apologised for sharing an infographic on 10 innovations and initiatives by its
researchers to fight Covid-19, which included an app that was claimed to detect
the coronavirus by analysing selfies.
In a Facebook, UPM
vice-chancellor for research and innovation, Prof Datuk Dr Zulkifli Idrus
explained that theInovasi Self-diagnoseapp is still in development and testing
stages, and it was not ready to be announced to the public.The app is not meant
to replace the primary test for Covid-19 – RT-PCR (reverse transcription
polymerase chain reaction) – which detects antibodies, he said, adding that a
mistake in the app name has also been a source of confusion.
The purpose of the app is for
early detection, not for diagnosis, he added.He said the app, which uses
artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse digital biomarkers, still needs to be
verified using clinical data.The infographic, which was uploaded to its
official Facebook page by Putra Science Park UPM on April 7, has since been
deleted. Users who saw the post mostly reacted to it with skepticism.
According to a guideline from
the Health Ministry, Covid-19 testing requires collecting samples from the nose
and throat (nasopharyngeal swab).The university claimed it has already shared
some of the other innovations in the list with Pusat Kesihatan Universiti
(PKU), Hospital Pengajar UPM (HPUPM) and other organisations to help fulfill
the important needs of frontliners.
Its list includes a 3D face
shield, a remote controlled service robot for spraying disinfectant, and a
tunnel with automatic hand sanitiser and temperature sensor.Higher Education
Minister Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad also shared the UPM Covid-19 post on her
Facebook
, praising the university for
its efforts.Recently, she came underfor encouraging students to create TikTok
videos to win prizes in a contest, as part of the movement control order (MCO)
initiative.The TikTok contest posts on Noraini's social media pages have since
been removed.
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