Heroic Faith Medical Science Co., Ltd.

Breathing sounds analysis begins when the sensors are attached to the skin of the patients. The patency of airway is monitored by AI-powered algorithm and live-streamed audibly and visually, facilitating doctors to take early interventions when signs of apnea or other respiratory conditions worsening are detected, thus improving patient safety.

Huijia Health Life Technology Co., Ltd.

Huijia's non-invasive monitoring Smart Care System for elderly and babies uses fiber optics based on nFOPT® core technology (2017 R&D 100 Awards) that can track the first symptoms in the early stages of COVID-19. It tracks respiratory, heart rate, persistent coughs, and sleep quality by using 2mm thin film under pillow, which has high-sensitivity and accuracy without electromagnetic waves. It provides remote and 24hr Monitoring, detection notifications, health reminders, long-term records. Even without a fever, respiratory changes help us to identify the COVID-19 in early stages! The smart care system can grasp whether it has respiratory symptoms at the first moment. It reduces contact, reduces waste of medical resources, protects the medical staff and saves time and energy for staff. The nucleic acid test can only measure the current moment, and it is impossible to continuously know whether it has been infected within 14 days. The system has many benefits that make monitoring more effective and comfortable to help with the fight against COVID-19.
There are over 35 Elderly Care Centers & Hospitals using to take care of elderly for prevention of COVID-19 in Taiwan and growing up.

Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Nanomedicine, National Health Research Institutes

With the spread of coronavirus disease in 2019 worldwide in only two months, societies were significantly affected in many aspects, such as the economy, transportation, education, health infrastructure, and even the military. At present, the infection test is expensive and time-consuming, and cures are still under development. For the public, measuring forehead temperatures is a common method of identifying candidates for further investigation and treatment. As few confirmed cases have been reported in Taiwan, most schools remain open. To prevent disease transmission on campuses, the Ministry of Education has mandated daily temperature checks for everyone. Although such a check can be performed in seconds for an individual, large amounts of human resources are required to perform this task each day during the epidemic period. As a result, there is an urgent need to develop a suitable monitoring and management system. This developed thermal camera technology proposes a complete solution that includes cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology to meet this objective.

Institute of Genomics and Bioinformatics, National Chung Hsing University

Small-molecule stabilization of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) is a promising strategy in drug discovery. However, this approach has mainly focused on the stabilization of native PPIs, and non-native PPIs have received little consideration. Recently, a closely related novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, caused an outbreak of pneumonia in the world. Here, we used the non-native dimer interface of the N-terminal domain (NTD) of N protein as the target in virtual screening for an orthosteric stabilizer. The interface formed a conserved hydrophobic cavity suitable for targeted drug screening. We found that a small molecule, P3, had both antiviral activities against CoVs and stabilizing effects on the viral N protein. Our results showed that P3 induces abnormal full-length N protein oligomerization in vitro and at the cell level. This conservation site may provide certain advantages when developing compounds with broad-spectrum activity against most CoVs, including SARS-CoV-2. This drug is able to relieve the clinical symptoms caused by a coronavirus in animal models. This unique approach based on the identification and stabilization of non-native PPIs of N protein could be applied toward drug discovery against CoV diseases.

Institute of Genomics and Bioinformatics, National Chung Hsing University

Small-molecule stabilization of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) is a promising strategy in drug discovery. However, this approach has mainly focused on the stabilization of native PPIs, and non-native PPIs have received little consideration. Recently, a closely related novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, caused an outbreak of pneumonia in the world. Here, we used the non-native dimer interface of the N-terminal domain (NTD) of N protein as the target in virtual screening for an orthosteric stabilizer. The interface formed a conserved hydrophobic cavity suitable for targeted drug screening. We found that a small molecule, P3, had both antiviral activities against CoVs and stabilizing effects on the viral N protein. Our results showed that P3 induces abnormal full-length N protein oligomerization in vitro and at the cell level. This conservation site may provide certain advantages when developing compounds with broad-spectrum activity against most CoVs, including SARS-CoV-2. This drug is able to relieve the clinical symptoms caused by a coronavirus in animal models. This unique approach based on the identification and stabilization of non-native PPIs of N protein could be applied toward drug discovery against CoV diseases.

Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica/Research Team of Yu-Chan Chao Research Fellow

Our invention demonstrates an integrated platform for disease detection and vaccine production. It simultaneously provides detection products and vaccines for COVID-19. We engineered the insect baculovirus to display the SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleocapsid proteins on the baculovirus envelope and the insect cell membrane. Cells displaying these two proteins become a novel COVID-19 serum detection system, and the baculoviruses displaying the proteins become the vector vaccines. In these processes, protein purification is unnecessary, thus significantly reducing the difficulty and cost of production. Moreover, baculovirus is highly safe for manufactures and users as it does not cause human infection. We also developed the immediate detection and prevention system for other emerging or recurring viruses. These developments are all important breakthroughs in fighting against viral diseases.

Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica

The SARS in 2003 and the Covid-19 pandemic in today raged the world. The body temperature monitoring became one of the most effective means to prevent the pandemic. The forehead infrared thermometer and infrared image camera came suddenly become the most effective tools for the pandemic. Up to now, forehead infrared thermometer has been popularly used because of its low price, however its disadvantage is that it takes time and man power to measure the body temperature one by one, and it is very inefficient and inconvenient. Although infrared image camera does not have the above shortcomings, unfortunately it is specially developed for military and national defense purposes based on high-resolution night vision images. Measuring body temperature is only one of the subsidiary functions. Since it is imported from abroad and with high resolution images thus the equipment used to measure body temperature is luxurious and not suitable. Its expensive price makes it difficult to be widely used. In order to overcome this problem, in 2007. my team started to develop an infrared image camera with main purpose of body temperature monitoring with image supplementation. Since it does not need to produce the equipment of defense-level high-resolution images, it can greatly reduce production costs. It can be accepted by the general public and will become an important tool against the Covid-19 epidemic.

Institute of Population Health Sciences, NHRI/Institute of Information Science, Academia Sinica

Virus Hunter: Smart Genotyping on Upper Respiratory Pathogens in AI

Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital/ National Chiao Tung University

The first optical device for identify Kawasaki disease and/or multiple system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C, that is caused by COVID-19) will help to save the children's heart from damage and prevent long time sequel. Near-infrared diffuse optical technique, which is a noninvasive method for monitoring changes in hemoglobin concentrations, relative oxyhemoglobin (HbO2), deoxyhemoglobin (Hb), total hemoglobin (HbT), and H2O concentrations, and tissue oxygen saturation (StO2). Artificial intelligence with optical device calculate the result within just one second and without any blood drawing or any tissue samples needed. It is totally a non-invasive detection device with high accuracy and convenience for clinician at medical department or parents at home. Coronary artery lesions and heart injury are the most severe complications of Kawasaki disease and MIS-C. This optical device will help to survey any children with fever more than 4 days especial in the COVID-19 pandemic area to prevent heart injury.

Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang Hospital

Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang hospital is located at the land, sea and air border of South Kaohsiung, it is inevitably a responsibility of the hospital to strengthen the airport\\\'s prevention of epidemics. COVID-19 diagnosis method mainly uses RT-PCR’ antigen detection and antibody detection. This project is based on the principle of blood antibody detection, using synthetic antigens to detect the presence of antibodies in the blood. Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang hospital and SpectroChip Inc. collaborate to Create World-Leading Quantitative Screening Instrument for COVID-19 - The ONE. There are several advantages. \\\"Fast\\\": 10-15 minutes from sample collection to results; \\\"Accurate\\\": accurate quantification of antibodies (IgG/IgM), which is 100 times more sensitive than the existing fast sieving test and can rule out most false-negative misjudgments. \\\"Wide\\\": Handheld size, portable and convenient for expanding the inspection field; \\\"Instant\\\": Inspection results are returned to the cloud via mobilephone app. to cloud database for real-time tracking of the epidemic. For patients with suspected COVID19 infection, home confinement, or follow-up of confirmed patients, rapid screening can help determine the cause of a patient\\\'s illness. In addition, the hospitalization time in the hospital should be reduced as a reference for the suitability of discharge.