Coronavirus - JAF Works

‘Robodog’

It is no secret that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has greatly affected people’s lives all around the world. Schools being shut down and companies advising their employees to work from home are some of the effects of this global pandemic.

One of the notable things happening at this trying time is the continuous emphasis on “social distancing.” Social distancing is a term used to describe a way of people maintaining a safe distance, usually one metre, between each other. It is highly emphasized as it is critical in reducing and possibly stopping the spread of Coronavirus. It is because of this that Boston Dynamics, a robotics design firm, built a remote-controlled four-legged Robodog known as Spot.

Spot (the Robodog) has been enlisted by the Singaporean authorities to help in curbing the spread of Coronavirus by advising cyclists and joggers to stay apart. The dog conveys the message in a soft feminine voice using the English language. As it goes around you will hear it say things like “For your own safety and those around you, please stand at least one metre apart. Thank you.”

The yellow and black machine is not only programmed to convey messages. Boston Dynamics equipped the Robodog with top-notch cameras and analytics tools that help in estimating the number of people in the park.

However, the presence of a robotic headless dog roaming around has not been without controversy. According to a video posted by “The Straits Times,” the dog is seen to cause a lot of confusion and fear among several park-goers even those who are several metres apart. Basically, park-goers are noted to be recoiling every time the dog passes close to them.

Some people are said to be against the use of the dog due to its capability to take photos and record videos. However, the authorities have addressed people’s concerns stating that the dog does not track or recognize specific individuals. The authorities insist that the dog’s sole purpose is to record the general number of individuals in the park, and that is all it does.

Even with all of this controversy, the dog’s role in sensitizing the public and recording data is mainly geared towards turning the nation’s COVID-19 situation around. With a population of about 5.7 million people, Singapore has recorded 21,000 cases of Coronavirus. This is among one of the highest reported cases in Asia.

According to relevant sources, the numbers in Singapore have spiked due to mass infections among migrant workers who are living in cramped dormitories.

Robodog in Hospitals

Apart from parks, the Robodog has also been deployed in hospitals, particularly the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts. The aim of this is to help the medical practitioners that are on the frontline in the fight against the Coronavirus. With a two-way radio and an iPad strapped to it, the headless Robodog serves as a telemedicine platform provider. Some of the areas it is heavily used are; triage tents and parking lots.

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With the recent outbreak of the Coronavirus, you never be too safe from it. The virus which spreads easily from one person to another is mostly grounded and not like any other airborne virus that takes a lot of time in air. One place the virus is highly likely to be on is on your smartphone.

Using Wipes

Wipes dipped in isopropyl alcohol which has a significant concentration of the alcohol is one way of getting rid of the virus which might have made its way to your smartphone’s surface. You just have to ensure that moisture does not get to the delicate components of the phone. You should avoid using pure alcohol or methylated spirit as it has some negative consequences.

Stuck Dirt

This is the use of sticky tape to remove dirt that is located on those difficult to reach spots. These spots include the areas around the speaker or along the sides of the charging port. This can’t be clean with a wipe and might be housing the deadly virus.

Using A Microfiber Cloth

A Microfiber Cloth

A quality type of microfiber cloth can get the trick done in case you do not want to use alcohol or any complicated stuff. You can purchase an excellent quality of this from online retailers. The microfiber cloth is a simple way of cleaning your phone and is also highly effective as it gets the job done with the least effort applied.

UV Phone Sanitizers

Phones have been proven to carry the most load of bacteria, more than even in the case of toilet seats. The bad news is that toilet seats get washed and cleaned more frequently than the phones. Some people have never even taken time to clean their phones which they have had for more than three years or so. Therefore, using a phone places one at high risk of coming into contact with the coronavirus. UV phone sanitizers would help get rid of bacteria and even the virus which might be on the surface of the phone. For instance, phone soap is designed to make use of UV-C light to break down the virus.

Using Cotton Swab

This would be ideal if you want to thoroughly clean the hidden part of your phone that are hard to reach. Spots such as the headphone jack, the memory card and sim card slots gather a lot of dirt which include some harmful bacteria. Getting a good cotton swab will be highly effective in cleaning this parts.

While undertaking the cleaning of your smartphone using any of the above methods, it is recommended that you have a safe mask over your nose and mouth. You should also sanitise your hands after completing the cleaning process of the smartphone.

The coronavirus has the ability of staying on a surface for more than forty-eight hours. Therefore, unless you clean your smartphone well, it might be an agent of the transmission of the virus. The above methods are effective ways of keeping one’s smartphone clean and free from the coronavirus.

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