One of the top priorities of the pandemic was in the form of helping protect the general public with efforts like temperature-reading via thermal scanning. While available in niche scenarios, tech professionals were tasked with making this technology much more commercially available. Non-contact infrared thermometers (NCITs) allow front desk or other personnel take surface skin temperature without being physically close to the person being evaluated; a huge plus in a 6-foot socially-distanced world. One of Tech Data’s vendor partners, Turing Video, has developed a workplace solution that helps mitigate risk in return-to-office scenarios.
In 2020, scientists faced the monumental task of developing a vaccination for a new virus at record speeds in order to reduce the spread and help the general public return to a sense of life pre-pandemic. In order to find a viable vaccine, experts utilized data and analytics solutions to process massive amounts of data. Johnson & Johnson released a list of 3 ways they used data science to fight COVID-19, including the tracking and forecasting of hotspots, using data to learn who is at the highest risk of getting sick and helping make informed decisions about essential workers and those returning to the workplace. Pfizer used an “incubation sandbox” to help develop an AI tool that sped up patient data processing during clinical trials.
Technology Development Beyond Healthcare
The pandemic also saw a rise in new technologies beyond just the medical field. More professionals and students were working or learning in remote environments than ever before (on behalf of all parents of school-aged students learning from home, thank you, teachers, for all you do). Individuals across the world were spending more time at home and separated from friends and loved ones, resulting in the need for creative ways to connect and stay occupied. In some cases, the crisis spurred innovation: