You don’t need me to tell you that technology has been mission critical as we all self-isolate during the pandemic. I’ve little doubt that most of us have been hunkered down in front of some kind of screen most days, either for work, school, or simply the need to distract ourselves from the blurring of time.
Technology is everywhere, of course, and perhaps this pandemic has made that even more apparent. It’s also lead to some interesting new uses of existing tech.
- How one hospital system is using technology to reduce health care providers’ exposure to coronavirus [CNN] “Northwell Health, a New York health care system, is expanding a program to outfit coronavirus patients’ rooms with Amazon Echo Shows, two-way video calling devices that allow providers to check in with patients on video, rather than in person. The tool helps reduce providers’ exposure to the virus.”
- New York allows clerks to perform weddings by video conference [Engadget]”Governor Andrew Cuomo has implemented an Executive Order that not only lets state residents get their marriage licenses remotely, but allows clerks to perform wedding ceremonies through video conferences.”
- This bus plays voice messages from loved ones outside people’s homes [Mashable] “Electric buses in Brussels are pulling up outside people’s homes and playing audio messages from loved ones via loudspeaker. The city’s transport authority STIB is asking residents to record messages for their grandparents, family members, healthcare workers, or the person they miss the most, so it can be played to them.”
- College Board prepares digital SATs in case schools remain closed [Engadget] ” The organization said it was working on digital versions of the tests, and that they could be administered similarly to the at-home versions of the Advanced Placement (AP) tests that it’s planning to run in May. According to the New York Times, the AP tests will now be 45 minutes instead of three hours and will be open-book.”
From the Ohio Web Library:
- Pandemic fallout spells mixed results for technology (Pandemic fallout spells mixed results for technology. (2020). Business Journal Serving Fresno & the Central San Joaquin Valley, 325679, 8.)
- Philly offices may never be the same again as the coronavirus pandemic boosts technology disruption (Hetrick, C. (2020, March 22). Philly offices may never be the same again as the coronavirus pandemic boosts technology disruption. Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA).)
- PREVENTING THE NEXT PANDEMIC (ARK, A. (2020). Preventing the Next Pandemic. TIME Magazine, 195(11), 40–43.)
