Science is helping to prevent the pandemic without the need for physical contact

COVID-19's impact on human physical and mental health, economic activity and social security has been felt around the world. Countries around the world are now attempting to combat the spread of this pandemic. In Taiwan, medical facilities oversee epidemic diagnosis and therapy, with body temperature measurement utilised as a frontline testing method in public areas. Blocking the virus in advance forms the most pivotal line of defense.

On May 12, Taiwan's Minister of Science and Technology, Chen  Liang-gee, will represent MOST in receiving the donation of Sil Radar Technology's “Radar Physiological Sensing System”, and the event will be held in the Science and Technology Building during the morning. Minister Chen himself has already personally verified the feasibility of the system. Through the detection and collection of various physiological signs including body temperature, breath frequency and heartbeat, all without the need for any physical contact whatsoever, the system can provide the earliest of warnings, a step crucial to infectious disease prevention.

New, robust, smart. Multiple physiological sign noncontact monitoring technology eases the pressure on the medical system.

In 2015, MOST created corporate links through an industry-academic cooperation program to advise Hong Zi-sheng, professor of the Electrical Engineering Department in National Sun Yat-sen University, in the development of “Noncontact physiological signal sensing radar technology” which detects organisms with radar waves which reflect a signal. Through signal processing algorithms, physiological data may be collected without the need for physical contact, and can continuously monitor the heartbeat and breathing frequency of an organism. In 2017, on the basis of this technology transference, Sil Radar Technology Inc was then established.

The “Radar Physiological Sensing System'' from Sil Radar Technology was built on the core technology of radar waves, integrated with radio frequency hardware developed in-house, antenna design, and signal processing and algorithm software technology, all of which endows the system with an exceptional sensitivity that is far superior to traditional continuous wave radar. Moreover, the low power wastage, low hardware costs, high precision and high wall penetration features, lend it many competitive advantages. The back-end AI platform can also analyze the physical health status and pinpoint abnormal vestiges with an instant alert, diminishing infection risk and medical personnel fatigue arising from the need for constant monitoring. It relieves the heavy burden on medical staff caused by COVID-19. It has already been applied to the negative pressure isolation wards of Kaohsiung Medical University.

Minister Chen deeply appreciates Sil Radar Inc's donation of the “Radar Physiological Sensing System'' to MOST, and also its devotion to the utilization of technology for epidemic prevention. In the near future, MOST will seek a wide introduction of the system into medical facilities and public areas to aid in epidemic prevention.

Mr. Tian Sheng-yo, the general manager of Sil Radar Inc, said that the company's development so far is largely thanks to the scientific research accomplishments of Sun Yat-sen University funded by MOST. This donation is a gesture to thank MOST for encouraging scientific research and innovation, and to share their achievements in their joint fight against the pandemic.

The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) has long supported academic research groups in establishing a persistent and integrated research system of epidemic prevention. Gathering the power of academic research into a sharing and communicating platform, weaving together the results of a wide range of groundbreaking research, start-ups benefitting from MOST funding and consultation have been making huge contributions to the pressing need for epidemic prevention technology.

MOST is building an epidemic prevention science research center

Minister Chen mentioned that MOST is currently planning development in seven areas including disease diagnosis, therapy, prevention, public health, social impact, field validation, and international scientific and technological epidemic prevention cooperation, to expeditiously marry academic research into technological epidemic prevention with the energy of the start-up industry, all with the aim of mobilizing cross-field cooperation in the development of new anti-epidemic technologies. Through the establishment of an “Epidemic Prevention Science Research Center” at the university, it will lay a solid foundation for national R & D and talent cultivation in the epidemic prevention technology field, as well as promoting the commodification of scientific research achievements to provide strong backing for epidemic prevention work and, further, to boost the upgrade and sustainable development of domestic epidemic prevention technology in the fight against COVID-19, and the joint national effort to protect Taiwan.

Media Contact

CEO Shane Tian

SIL Radar Technology Inc.

TEL: 07-3385689

Email：sytlaw@silradar.com

Dr. Hui-Hsin Lee

Department of Life Sciences, Ministry of Science and Technology

TEL: 02-27377461

Email: hhlee@nstc.gov.tw