The benefits of technology during Covid 19



At the beginning of 2020, all we had predicted was a new beginning and new opportunities that came along with the conception of a new decade. Just a few months in, we encountered a massive speed bump that we are recovering from even today, more than a year later- The Corona virus pandemic. At a time of widespread fear and qualm, the greatest tool we have had to make it through has been technology. Let us assess some of the positive aspects and advantages that technology has provided us.

  • OTT Platforms- The term OTT or “over-the-top” is used for the delivery of film and TV content via the internet, for which users don’t need to subscribe to a traditional cable or satellite pay-TV service. Without any outdoor entertainment, the lockdown has led to more people inadvertently realising the convenience of OTT, which has already created a shift in the way content is consumed on a day-to-day basis.
  • Game Space- To reduce their boredom, one of the activities on which people spend time during the Covid-19 lockdown was playing online games that results into online gaming market in India witnessing a skyrocketing increase in user engagement.
  • Online investing- With investments through submission of physical applications got disrupted during the lockdown, people go online to invest in mutual fund (MF), National Pension System (NPS), Unit Linked Insurance Plan (ULIP) as well as to take advantage of market crash due to stalled economic activities during the initial period of lockdown.

  • Online grocery- As people were fearful of venturing out during the spread of highly infectious COVID-19 Coronavirus, online grocery market has seen a massive growth trajectory, owing to increasing demand among consumers.

    Families, especially with infants and the elderly, prefer to stay indoors and place grocery orders online which has resulted in a massive surge in terms of the number of new users that are resorting to online applications for the delivery.

  • Fitness & Health- As people refrained from going out for walk or visiting gyms during the lockdown, health and fitness apps have come up with new alternatives for people to remain fit while they stay indoors.

    Apps like CureFit and Fittr have introduced live workout sessions for users on their apps as well as on social media platforms to attract fitness conscious people that witnessed decent traction.

  • Fighting misinformation- In order to reduce false information, companies like Google, Facebook, and YouTube are working tirelessly to guide people to the right, verifiable information such as that published by WHO or local authorities and government. By making accurate information available to everybody, a transparent scenario can be created and the people can be informed about the right steps to take.

  • Finding Drugs- AI is playing important role in suggesting components of a vaccine by understanding viral protein structures, and helping medical researchers scour tens of heaps of relevant research papers at an unprecedented pace. Teams at the Allen Institute for AI, Google DeepMind have created AI tools, shared data sets and research results. In January, Google DeepMind introduced AlphaFold, a cutting-edge system that predicts the 3D structure of a protein based on its genetic sequence. The University of Texas at Austin and the National Institutes of Health used a popular biology technique to create the first 3D atomic scale map of the part of the virus that attaches to and infects human cells—the spike protein.


  • Increasing traceability and transparency by sharing data- During a pandemic, clear messaging to the populace is critical to make sure they are informed and reminded to use appropriate precautions. Several groups are using the trending technologies like mobile, AI, ML and more, to provide visibility on the outbreak:


    Microsoft Bing launched an interactive COVID-19 map to provide widespread disease news.

    Sixfold has published a free live map of border crossing times for trucks to enable all of Europe’s supply chains to understand expected delays in receiving shipments.

    Social platform like TikTok has partnered with WHO on COVID-19 to help keep their users knowledgeable with correct, timely facts, along with a live stream from the WHO where users will be able to ask questions and seek answers.


    In India, telecom operators like Jio, BSNL, Airtel, and more, are using the caller tunes to spread awareness about the pandemic.

  • Tracking people with facial recognition and big data- In case of pandemic management, big data analytics can help in quickly identifying infected individuals, connect with them, track who they have come in contact with, and so on.

    Facial recognition technologies along with data can accurately identify people even if they are masked. Such technologies can help in monitoring movement and tracking of people who are quarantined. It can also help in keeping a tab on people and ascertaining whether or not they have been in contact with an infected person. CCTV cameras along with facial recognition technologies can help in identifying infected people who break the rules and step out despite being quarantined.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Role of Social Media during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Image
HOW INDVIDUALS USE SOCIAL MEDIA Broadly, individuals use social media either as a means of self promotion, hungry for the narcissistic self-exposure we crave, or  to connect with friends, family and likeminded others for socialization and emotional support.   HOW COMPANIES USE SOCIAL MEDIA Similar to the use of social media by individuals, companies also use social media in one of two ways. They either use it for commercial purposes (to brand, sell and market their business) or for communal purposes (to engage, connect and co-create with their customers). SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE PANDEMIC During the pandemic, social media has become an extremely powerful tool to connect and engage with not only friends and family, but also with people from all around the world. Social media gives us the power to positively impact the lives of hundreds of millions of people all while sitting at home. Here are some of the ways social media has helped us during the pandemic: 1. HELPS BUILD  A SE...
Read more

Disadvantages of working from home online

Image
  Quarantining.   Even though there are tech employees who describe themselves as introverts, it turns out, the report found, they're not really so introverted. There's been no greater light shone on this than during quarantine and isolation. Isolation has greatly affected employees' and leaders' moods, and water-cooler talk proved essential, even for those who are self-described or perceived as unsociable.  Not home-office compatible . Not everyone has a perfect space to work remotely, and it can be impossible to figure a way to have an effective and organized work area. They're not able to set up an arrangement conducive to full concentration, which can directly affect employee efficiency. No man is an island, at least  when it comes to productivity .  Autonomy doesn't work for everyone, not everyone can efficiently self-organize work.  Productivity fails.  WFH can present an average fall in performance. And it does not boil down to a single fai...
Read more

Technology- a friend or foe during lockdown

Image
Whether we like it or not, technology is now an inevitable part of our life. In every sphere, we can see applications of technology- in the machinery used in hospitals, in the filing systems used in offices, in something as big as sending rovers to mars or something as small as billing groceries. Even though technology has been a huge part of our everyday life before the inception of the Covid Pandemic, it has now become more prominent than ever. With the imposition of the first lockdown on 25th March 2020, all services and factories were suspended. People stopped going to their jobs, education was put on an indefinite hold and even groceries were fought over. At such a time of uncertainty and qualm, the only thing that helped us move forward with our lives was technology. Remote working helped businesses stay afloat and even helped them experience and implement effective employee engagement and team building strategies outside of the traditional office environment. Even schooling expe...
Read more