Irish technology firm SureWash has recently ventured into the domain of augmented reality (AR) applications. It has launched a software system to uphold the importance of optimal hand hygiene.
SureWash has developed an interactive-type software offering that features augmented reality. The new system has been scientifically-approved as a training technology for the World Health Organization (WHO) hand hygiene agreement. Health professionals across the globe are finding it more convenient to promote hand hygiene by using the AR-based handwashing application from SureWash. Their job has become easier due to the recent COVID-19 induced pandemic circumstances prompting people to practice social distancing and improve hand hygiene practices.
The Irish company is among the founding members of the WHO’s Private Organisations for Patient Safety (POPS) initiative. POPS has the objective of helping the WHO uplift safe hand hygiene within the healthcare sector. It has designed the augmented reality application to assure that healthcare workers, staff and members of the general public are following protocol when it comes to safe hand washing.
SureWash is collaborating with The Learnovate Centre, which is among the leading learning technologies research centres in Europe, to come up with inventive ways of dispersing its products to target customers. Learnovate, based out of the Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, is a technology centre with funding from Enterprise Ireland. SureWash is a spin-off of Trinity College Dublin. The brand is partnering with 200 hospitals and various sports bodies around the globe. It is helping them introduce hand hygiene training setups with the help of SureWash kiosks.
The coronavirus situation growing into a pandemic played a key role in highlighting the importance of the SureWash Hand Hygiene App, which essentially functions as one of the company’s kiosks for healthcare staff training. It was launched across hospitals so they could get back faster into their previous flow of training. The AR application is also targeting employers in the food production and pharma industries to help them safeguard their workplaces.
Professor Gerard Lacey, the CTO and co-founder, remarked that development on the kiosks for training staff focused on them not having to leave their workplace for learning about safety. According to him, the staff being trained are gaining fast access to data regarding hand hygiene procedures. The application utilises live video for evaluating the handwashing techniques of individuals. It then proceeds to analyse the data and provide real-time proficiency feedback.
Users of the application pick up on the precise actions with repeated use, and they soon gain familiarity with the WHO hand washing standards. According to studies, building muscle memory for perfecting any technique takes about 23 sessions of practice spread over approximately two weeks. SureWash is making muscle memory development easier through the gamification of learning. Compliance rates can be buffed up by nearly 50 percent once the hand hygiene techniques are mastered.
According to Lacey, AR and gamification are being utilised to record hand movements and provide feedback on whether the user is doing things correctly. The app measures whether individuals are complying with safety requirements.
