Smart helmet to combat spread of COVID-19

With over 720,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases across Africa, the virus has claimed almost 16,000 lives on the continent. In their efforts to reduce the devastating impact of the disease, several national authorities have partnered with technology company KC Wearable to use its KC N901 Smart Helmet. 

The helmet can detect fevers, the most prevalent COVID-19 symptom, with 96% accuracy. South Africa was the first African country to use the helmet following a surge in cases last month. It is being used in airports and logistics hubs across Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg.  

The helmet offers the ability to screen the temperatures of up to 200 people a minute. The device is powered by facial recognition technology and an infrared camera, which allows a wearer to thermo-scan the temperature of people within a seven-metre radius and has the potential to link to other data on COVID-19 tracking apps. The device stores the data it collects on its internal 64GB of storage. 

 “Our mission has always been to do everything possible to reduce the spread of this life-threatening disease, as well as the devastating impact that it is having on societies across the globe,” said Jie Guo, global head of KC Wearable. “We have already partnered with countries in Europe, Asia and South America and seen positive results. We have also been working in South Africa, which has experienced great difficulty in controlling the rapid proliferation of COVID-19 since March.  

“Working with authorities in South Africa, we aimed to bring some relief to the country’s citizens by complementing the government’s preventative measures. We want to help other African countries too, as the infection rate continues to grow across the continent. With a high fever being a common COVID-19 symptom, the KC N901 Smart Helmet is a quick, efficient and accurate way of identifying potential cases.” 

Bradford Wood, detection handler at K9 Law Enforcement, a security company contracted by the South African authorities, said: “We are excited about what the KC N901 Smart Helmet has to offer as an additional temperature screening and security device in South Africa’s continued efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 amongst citizens.  

“Working with the country’s main airports, including in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, the helmet has proved vital in helping us detect and subsequently prevent outbreaks from domestic and international flights. The advanced technology and mass screening functionality of the helmets are crucial as the South African economy strives to return to normality.” 

Authorities in Algeria, Egypt and Gabon are now also using the smart helmet, as they look to better protect their populations and avoid further escalation of the pandemic. Beyond Africa, the helmet is already being used in over 35 countries, including Indonesia, the UAE, Italy, Netherlands, Kuwait, Chile, and Turkey.  

To find out more about the KC N901 Smart Helmet, visit the following website: https://www.kcwearable.com/enpc/index.html.