KUCHING: A team of researchers comprising clinical research and digital health experts has won a top award for Cof’e, a Covid-19 pre-screening app.
The app that uses AI technology, loud technology and mobile technology won in the Technology Category of the Ministry of Health’s National Innovation Awards 2022.
It was credited to the team from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak’s Digital Health Research and Innovation Unit (DHRi), Institute for Clinical Research (ICR) from the National Institute of Health (NIH) Malaysia and InFront Consulting Group.
“It is indeed a unique application developed by Malaysians, for Malaysians and for the rest of the world,” said Prof Dr Patrick Then, Swinburne Sarawak’s Head of School of Information and Communication Technologies and Director of Centre for Digital Futures.
“Powered by an AI engine, the app was developed and optimised by local talents from the Australian branch campus university, in collaboration with partners from NIH and a private consultancy group InFront Consulting Group,
“It works by differentiating asymptomatic Covid-19 infection from individuals who may be otherwise healthy, just by the sound of the individual’s cough,” he added.
The user-friendly and cost-effective tool allows those suspected of being infected, to perform pre-screening for Covid-19 infection at their own convenience, anywhere, any time, and with no additional cost.
With Cof’e, pre-screening takes only three minutes. For first time users, they will be greeted with a login screen that requires the user to register a mobile number.
Users will find Cof’e’s simple interface and instructions easy to understand, with the result of the test being available in less than 10 minutes a convenience to many.
The research team also prioritised making the pre-screening test convenient and affordable while ensuring that individual’s privacy is maintained at all times when using the application.
“Aside from the convenience of using the application, Cof’e is also accurate, a revolutionary application that can also be used for tuberculosis, pneumonia, pertussis and asthma,” he added.
Cof’e was launched during the national Conference for Clinical Research held from Oct 18 to 20 in Penang.
The application is free and is accessible at https://coughsound.dhri.my/.
