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Friday 10 April 2020

confusion by app that detects Covid-19 through selfies



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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