KT has decided to conduct research on COVID-19 infection risk measurement model using artificial intelligence (AI) and big data technologies.
KT made an announcement on Aug. 5 that it will conduct a "Study on the Development of COVID-19 Infection Risk Measurement Model" using AI and big data-based Digital Tracing technology with the support of Right Fund, a global health technology research fund.
The Right Fund is a global private-government partnership research fund established jointly by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Korea, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and domestic life science companies in July 2018 to promote global public health.
According to KT, KT proposed the 'AI-based COVID-19 self-measurement technology development task' to the Right Fund and was selected as a research support task in recognition of its achievements.
The project will run until February 2021, and Right Fund will support pilot research funds. Mobile Doctor, a consortium of the next generation of quarantine research conducted by the Gates Foundation, will also join the study.
Based on the results of the pilot research, KT plans to apply for the Right Fund's 2021 mid- to large-sized project contest to secure momentum for follow-up research.
In the study, KT plans to analyze the data of past movements of smartphone app users and the data of COVID-19 confirmed patients’ movements released by the government with artificial intelligence and big data to measure the risk of infection against the virus.
Through this process, it is expected to minimize personal information exposure and find direct and indirect contacts of COVID-19 confirmed patients and use them to prevent further spread.
It is also expected to provide a foundation for effective screening of high-risk groups and efficient utilization of limited resources (medical staff, diagnostic kits, etc.) in the event of secondary pandemic and mass infection.
Through this research, KT will further upgrade its platform to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, focusing on guiding the risk of infection and digital tracing.
Based on ICT and digital health R&D technology, it also plans to contribute to solving the problem of imbalance in medical care between regions and income in underdeveloped countries.
Kim Chae-hee, head of KT's AI/BigData business division, said, "We hope that this COVID-19 infection risk measurement study, which is conducted with the support of Right Fund, will help us respond to COVID-19. KT will spare no effort to prevent the spread of the virus and increase the efficiency of the medical industry through warm technologies for people such as AI and big data."
