IIT Jodhpur’s framework to prevent spread of COVID on campuses

‘Campus RAKSHAK’ integrates various applications and tools into one to prevent possible spread of COVID-19 and ensure smooth reopening of campuses.

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur have come up with a decision framework for educational institutions called “Campus RAKSHAK” that integrates various applications and tools into one to prevent possible spread of COVID-19 and ensure smooth reopening of campuses. 

The institute has tied up with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, IIT Kharagpur, the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Hyderabad, IIT Bombay, Algorithmic Biologics Pvt Ltd, HeathBadge Private Limited and Prthvi.AI to build, integrate and test to ensure safety on campuses through the initiative. 

Single platform to monitor, recommend mitigation strategies against COVID

While two prototypes of Campus RAKSHAK have been tested simultaneously at IIT Jodhpur and IIIT Hyderabad, the team is planning to devise affordable and flexible pricing model, product, marketing and sales strategy to reach out to campuses across the country.  Campus RAKSHAK has four components -- Tapestry Pooling, Go Corona Go App, Simulators and Healthbadge. These form a single platform that monitor, predict and recommend mitigation strategies for campuses against COVID-19. 

“The tapestry pooling method assigns individual samples to multiple pools, reducing the cost of screening to one-fourth. Based on the results of each pool, the algorithm predicts COVID-19 positive samples,” Manas Bairagi, Chief Technological Officer, iHub Drishti, said. iHub Drishti at IIT Jodhpur is a technology innovation hub focused around computer vision, augmented reality and virtual reality. At present, iHuB Drishti is charging INR 250 per user from the institutions opting for the programme. However, the team is working on its pricing model and also exploring a subscription model, as the numbers grow. 

Go Corona Go App is a mobile app similar to Aarogya Setu, but the data is accessible to the administration for making the right decisions to prevent the spread of COVID. “Its primary purpose is to conduct contact tracing. Users will remain connected to the campus server through the phone’s Bluetooth,” Bairagi said. 

Advisory system to help administration make decisions 

He said it consists of three simulation models -- Campus Modeler, CampusSim and EpiSimmer. “The simulator will be able to predict where the COVID-19 positivity will spread in the coming days. This can be considered an advisory system to help the administration make decisions.” 

“Healthbadge is an information management and badging system that issues red, orange and green badges to students after the coronavirus infection is investigated, depending on the adversity of the situation,” he said. 

Santanu Chaudhury, Director, IIT Jodhpur, said, “The Campus RAKSHAK project is the outcome of consortium-based research to serve as an advisory system for the campus administrators.” 

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