The outbreak of the Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), more commonly known as COVID-19, has had devastating impacts on countries across the globe. COVID-19, which spreads easily through respiratory particles, has no known treatment or vaccination. Social and public health measures, such as social distancing practices and contact tracing and isolation have been key methods to decrease the spread of COVID-19. 

Contact tracing involves the use of trained individuals conversing with those identified as being infected to gain an accurate record of those they have come into contact with. The trained individuals then contact the exposed individuals to warn them of their exposure, encourage them to quarantine, provide them with the necessary information and support they may require, and monitor them for symptoms as much as possible. 

Though useful, contact tracing does have some drawbacks. The records provided by people may be incomplete or inaccurate. It is time and labour- intensive. It may infringe on personal privacy and it can be unsustainable due to the high work- load and skills involved. 

TraCi aims to assist contact tracing efforts by creating a more accurate and complete record of contacts, reducing the time and labour spent on contact tracing, promoting personal privacy and using technology to facilitate a sustainable approach to contact tracing.

TraCi is a handheld device which combines a QR scanner, digital thermometer and digital screen to store user information, measure user temperature and record the number of people inside a public area. TraCi works by scanning QR coded stickers, which contain an individual’s basic information, at the entrance of a public space. An integrated inside/outside system determines if a person can enter the space. The entry device takes and records temperature and combined with the information of how many people have scanned out, determines how many people are inside. Green means go and red means hold tight! 

TraCi traces, counts and helps with isolation. It creates a more complete and accurate record of contacts and their duration. It also helps keep people safer by restricting the entry of potentially infected individuals and promoting social distancing. 

TraCi is here to trace for you!