Approaches Based on Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Intelligent Things to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19: Scoping Review

Abstract

Background Artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Intelligent Things (IIoT) are promising technologies to prevent the concerningly rapid spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and to maximize safety during the pandemic. With the exponential increase in the number of COVID-19 patients, it is highly possible that physicians and health care workers will not be able to treat all cases. Thus, computer scientists can contribute to the fight against COVID-19 by introducing more intelligent solutions to achieve rapid control of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes the disease. Objective The objectives of this review were to analyze the current literature, discuss the applicability of reported ideas for using AI to prevent and control COVID-19, and build a comprehensive view of how current systems may be useful in particular areas. This may be of great help to many health care administrators, computer scientists, and policy makers worldwide. Methods We conducted an electronic search of articles in the MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Embase, and Web of Knowledge databases to formulate a comprehensive review that summarizes different categories of the most recently reported AI-based approaches to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19. Results Our search identified the 10 most recent AI approaches that were suggested to provide the best solutions for maximizing safety and preventing the spread of COVID-19. These approaches included detection of suspected cases, large-scale screening, monitoring, interactions with experimental therapies, pneumonia screening, use of the IIoT for data and information gathering and integration, resource allocation, predictions, modeling and simulation, and robotics for medical quarantine. Conclusions We found few or almost no studies regarding the use of AI to examine COVID-19 interactions with experimental therapies, the use of AI for resource allocation to COVID-19 patients, or the use of AI and the IIoT for COVID-19 data and information gathering/integration. Moreover, the adoption of other approaches, including use of AI for COVID-19 prediction, use of AI for COVID-19 modeling and simulation, and use of AI robotics for medical quarantine, should be further emphasized by researchers because these important approaches lack sufficient numbers of studies. Therefore, we recommend that computer scientists focus on these approaches, which are still not being adequately addressed.

Artificial Intelligence for COVID-19: Rapid Review

“…In the face of growing pressure on limited health care resources, the use of AI-driven techniques to aid in diagnosis, surveillance, finding therapeutics, and public health decision making may help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of human efforts to combat the pandemic. Another recently published review found that AI could contribute to the prevention and control of the spread of COVID-19 via several important approaches: detecting suspected cases, large-scale screening, monitoring, determining interactions with experimental therapies, pneumonia screening, using the Internet of Intelligent Things for data and information gathering and integration, allocating resources; making predictions, models, and simulations; and using robotics for medical quarantine [ 71 ]. We hope that our rapid review can help highlight additional areas for more robust AI applications and studies in the later phases of the ongoing pandemic.…”

A Low-Cost, Ear-Contactless Electronic Stethoscope Powered by Raspberry Pi for Auscultation of Patients With COVID-19: Prototype Development and Feasibility Study

“…PCGs can also be plotted based on the NumPy array files for ease of visualization and analysis. These data can also be used in the future for research related to diagnosis and prognosis, such as use of machine learning algorithms [ 24 , 44 ]. The device may also have educational value as a teaching aid for medical students.…”

Safely opening schools: artificial intelligence techniques to control transmission of COVID-19

“…RGB cameras can conduct and analyze respiratory measurements of suspected individuals with the use of AI detection algorithms. [4][5][6] Similar applications were used in China which provided data on individual movement and diagnosis to a central database analyzed by an AI algorithm which issued a color code to guide movement restrictions. 7 Thousands of schools across the world remain closed due to ongoing threat of COVID-19 transmission among students.…”