Education Trends: Post Corona world and role of Engineers

By Dr Kshitij Shinghal

Know how the role of engineers is likely to influence the post COVID-19 world.

“We've arranged a civilization in which most crucial elements profoundly depend on science and technology.” - Carl Sagan

Is covid-19 the last virus?

We all know that whole world is facing the gravest, darkest of the time fighting and preparing against corona virus. It has become a pandemic disease with an outbreak in almost every major country of the world. Even the most developed countries with latest and advanced medical facilities are feeling helpless in front of the novel corona virus. Even the darkest clouds have the silver lining and in the toughest times the biggest weapon human beings have is ‘hope’. Sooner or later we are bound to find solution for corona virus (vaccines, medicines etc.) still the question remains unanswered "Is covid-19 the last virus that has become such a threat to human race?" Can we rest assured that it will not reoccur and there will be no other virus or biological pathogen which will again pose a threat to human kind?

Post Covid-19 world and our preparedness:

Whether the cure comes or not, but to be certain the world will not remain same. The pandemic will leave Engineers, Doctors, Researchers and young students with a challenge. A challenge to prevent any future outbreak of such diseases, a challenge to protect oneself, society and mankind, a challenge to mitigate the effect of any future outbreaks, a challenge to assist in recovery from the loses posed by the pandemic, a challenge to be prepared to respond in quickest way to put a check to the spread of such diseases. Are we ready to take up the challenge, are we prepared  to play our part to develop the technology, to provide the necessary medical equipments (PPE kits, ventilator, masks, robotic medicine dispensers, sanitization tunnels etc.), to provide the necessary technological support, to produce medical equipments in the adequate quantities required to match demands. "Only doctors and medical professionals can help fight/ prevent pandemic diseases" this is the biggest myth that we have to break and create awareness among young researchers, students, and scientist and budding engineers to be prepared, to be equipped with technical knowhow. The truth is that even the doctors and other medical professionals depend upon technology to carry out their fight against pandemic disease. They have a very limited role to play in development of technology; they are only the end users, whereas people with Science and Technology background have a very important role to play in fight against the present and future outbreak of pandemic diseases. It is the engineers and the people with the technology know-how that provides latest technology and equipments to doctor to fight against the pandemic disease. The world post Covid-19 will need more and more engineers, researchers, entrepreneurs and scientist to give new breakthrough ideas, solutions and innovations. Few such areas (not comprehensive) are listed below that will find increased importance in preparing the world post covid-19.

Online Education and Teleconferencing: Online education, online courses teleconferencing, online meeting applications etc. will play an important role during pandemic and post pandemic times. Developing such platforms, creating learning materials, designing application software that is predictably secure, will be the requirements and will find rapid growth. Government and other agencies will like to have list of people who are well versed in these Technologies.

Electronics and Communication: Electronics engineers will play a very important role in providing automated solutions such as disease surveillance, integrating sensor system in a Smartphone for early detection of disease symptoms, sensor based sanitizer dispensing system and such other sensor based electronic Automation to name a few. Therefore application of electronics, integration of sensors, wireless connectivity, and remote operability etc. will be the key requirements of post pandemic equipments. People with electronics knowledge will contribute significantly in developing post pandemic automatic technology for future preparedness.

Robotics: In current scenario the biggest threat in treating infected patients is that these diseases are highly contagious. Robotic nurses, robotic carts, robotic goods delivery system all these and more will be the requirement of the future.

Mechanical Engineering and Customizable Assembly Lines: Customisable assembly line that can quickly be converted to produce the required equipment as per the design with minimum modifications and minimum cost will be trending in future. A customisable assembly line can quickly address to the sudden increase in demand of medical equipments such as PPE kits, ventilators, sanitizers etc. Further all the production, supplies of other materials, re-strengthening of economy will require strong support from machines and persons with sound knowledge of operating them.

Information Technology: Information Technology will play a very important role in developing system to spread awareness, create applications for timely detection, warning about disease,  future  will require more IT engineers who can develop such resources.

Cyber Security: During the pre- and post-pandemic duration the financial transactions, online banking, online investments are rapidly growing and this will give green pastures to the hackers and cyber attackers. Cyber security and internet security will become an integral component in every person’s day to day life. More number of cyber security engineers will be required to fill the gap in demand.

Machine Learning in Artificial Intelligence: Machine learning, artificial intelligence will play an important role in analysing patterns of the disease, probable vaccines, various steps taken to cure, automatic identification of probable victims and their isolation, analysis of important facts, data and quarantine patterns etc.

Embedded Systems: Embedded handheld system such as test kits, automatic pill dispensers, robotic trolleys, robotic syringes, early symptom detection kit will be the tools for the future preparedness.

Mobile Communication: During the pandemic and post pandemic time dependency on mobile communication, internet, satellite, and work from home will increase. Mobile and wireless communication engineer will have to play a very important role in developing the society post covid-19.

Conclusion:

Post pandemic world will be totally changed. It may take several months or a complete year for vaccine to come to market and become available to common people. The whole economy of the world will be jeopardized and there will be very challenging scenarios. Due to lockdown and other preventive measures there may be cases of disputes, violence etc. But the youth has a very important role to play, i.e. to be prepared to fight against any future outbreak. For this they need to be ready, skilled with the technology and play their role in providing the solutions to bring the economy back on the track. It is our biggest responsibility to be prepared technologically to respond to any future ordeal. Corona virus will go away eventually, but viruses do not die, they stay and are we sure it will not come back again, or strike back in any other form by becoming more contagious. Only solution for this is to be prepared and to be prepared well! We need technology and people trained in engineering and technology to build a safe and secure future.

About the Author:

Dr Kshitij Shinghal is the Head of Electronics and Communication Engineering Department at MIT Moradabad. He is also a life coach and a career counsellor with 20 years of work experience.