A PhD student at the University of Wollongong has made it through to the final eight in the 2020 Virtual Asia-Pacific Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition. The final will be held on Thursday, 1 October 2020. Interested people can register to attend the virtual event and vote for the People’s Choice Award at this link.

The 3MT competition cultivates Higher Degree Research students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills. Competitors explain their research in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s competition was conducted virtually, with contestants submitting a three-minute video presentation.

Representatives from 54 universities across Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, Northeast and Southeast Asia took part in the Asia Pacific 3MT Semi-Final, from which eight finalists, including Stefania, were selected to compete for the title of the 2020 Virtual Asia-Pacific 3MT Winner.

In her presentation, “Moon to Mars, and beyond”, the scientist talked about the research she is doing to make space travel safer. There are many risks involved in long-term space travel, she said, but radiation is the greatest hazard of all as unacceptable levels can cause cancer or even death.

Cosmic rays are particles that pervade the universe and penetrate any spaceship hull. They zip across instrumentation and traverse the body of an astronaut every single second in space, she said. These particles interact with human tissue, posing a hazard to the health of an astronaut, eventually inducing cancer or even death.

In a three-year space mission, the level of radiation is 1000-times higher than back here in Australia and this increases the possibility of developing cancer from 1 in 200 people, to 1 in 20 people.

A PhD student at UOW’s Centre for Medical Radiation Physics (CMRP), the scientist is developing wearable radiation detectors for astronauts that can measure their exposure to cosmic rays in real-time.

Pushing Australian space tech

According to another press release from the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, the Australian Space Discovery Centre is one step closer to launching as the construction of the facility and Mission Control Centre officially starts.

The Australian Space Discovery Centre is underpinned by a strong STEM education focus. It will inspire the next generation of the space workforce through stories of opportunity, curiosity, and technology.

Located in the innovation precinct of Lot Fourteen in Adelaide, the Australian Space Discovery Centre will showcase:

• Space Exhibition area which includes an interactive exhibition dedicated to activities that can support the exploration of the Moon and Mars
• Industry Showcase to connect space industry businesses, start-ups and researchers through workshops, discussions and displays
• Careers and Information Hub to discover career paths and jobs in the national space industry
• Mission Control Centre which includes facilities for space businesses and researchers to control satellite and space missions.

The Head of the Australian Space Agency stated that said programs and activities in the Australian Space Discovery Centre will be informed by the seven National Civil Space Priorities in the Government’s Australian Civil Space Strategy.

The aim is for the Australian Space Discovery Centre to become a place where the community can come together to explore the latest innovations in space technologies and learn about Australia’s role in expanding national and international space activities. The Australian Space Discovery Centre and Mission Control are due to open to the public in the first half of 2021.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) recently launched an e-Office application in over 500 CGST and customs offices across the country.

It will improve governance by automating the internal processes of handling files and decision-making within the government.

The e-Office application’s main module, eFile, enables on-line file related work, starting from receiving and marking dak, operating a file, preparing a draft letter, its approval/signature, and dispatching the signed letter.

Over 50,000 officers and staff are expected to use the application, making CBIC one of the largest government departments to automate its internal office procedures, a press release has stated.

The e-Office application was launched by the CBIC Chairman in the presence of over 800 senior officers of the agency and officials from the National Informatics Centre (NIC).

The launch of the e-Office marks a fundamental change in internal office procedures which, until now, has been based on the manual handling of files and paper movement, a press release stated.

It will complement its many other IT-led reforms that aim to enhance the ease of doing business for trade and industry.

With the development of the e-Office, CBIC hopes to leverage technology to provide ‘faceless, contactless, and paperless’ indirect tax administration.

NIC developed the application, which is supported by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).

The use of e-Office by the rank and file of the CGST and Customs officers will lead to transparency, accountability, and a positive impact on the environment by cutting down the use of paper and printing.

It is of relevance amid the COVID-19 pandemic as it will help avoid contact with physical files, preventing the possible transmission of any virus.

Also, the e-Office ensures enhanced security as no file or document can be altered, destroyed, or backdated. An in-built monitoring mechanism would identify where the files are held up enabling quick disposal and faster decision-making.

The e-Office is a mission mode project (MMP) under the National e-Governance of India.

The CBIC has also been conducting pilot runs in five cities for a pan-India faceless tax assessment by the end of the year, for transparency and to curb corruption.

As per a media report, the programme was initiated as one of the tax reforms announced last year to limit ‘tax terrorism’ and harassment by tax officials.

The process is virtual and automated, the assessing office does not know or physically meet the person.

The system will be rolled out in a phase-wise manner; the first stage started at the beginning of the month.

The new faceless process will be applicable for primarily machines and electrical equipment imports.

The system will be expanded to include GST assessment and dispute resolutions. Faceless assessment enables an assessing officer, who is physically located in a particular jurisdiction, to assess a bill of entry made at a different customs station, the report explained.

Once implemented, CBIC will establish the National Assessment Commissionerates (NAC) to examine assessment practices for imported articles across customs stations.

Despite wreaking havoc around the globe, COVID-19 has become a key accelerator for digital transformation among organisations who must ensure their work continues during this difficult time.

The Executive Director of a tech training and research organisation stated that this outbreak, unlike others in the past, has affected many countries at once and is expected to carry on for a long period. This will broaden digital adoption and accelerate digital transformation.

Soon it will become more natural for businesses and individuals to embrace digital technology, such as mobile payment, e-wallets, video conferencing and collaboration tools, he said. Many will also pivot towards 5G, high-speed networks, remote working and e-learning.

During the crisis, the biggest lesson in Thailand is “communication in crisis”, which needs to be faster and accurate, he said. The government’s message needs to be simple and reach as many citizens as possible, which helps ward off public confusion over disinformation shared online.

New technology continues to be developed to fight the spread of the coronavirus. In Thailand, it is in the early stages of developing apps that locate risky areas for Covid-19 and places where masks are sold.

Tech deployment

The Founder and Chief Executive of an e-commerce platform stated that he launched the Thailand Covid-19 Digital Group (TCDG) as a social media community page for tech fellows willing to collaborate to combat the outbreak using technology.

There are nine subset groups under the TCDG to ensure work is executed speedily.

Many are working on a platform to track infected people or those requested to self-quarantine to allow health authorities easier monitoring.

Others are handling chatbots for Covid-19 consultation with the public, technology that can identify the location of drugstores, a tool that can gauge the volume of available masks and alcohol-based gel, as well as communication channels for ways to combat the disease, promoted by influencers.

The TCDG also recently developed a site, which shows the updated status of infections in Thailand and at-risk locations.

The Executive Director of the National Innovation Agency (NIA) stated that state agencies have worked together on a new app called DDC-Care that helps people self-assess whether they have contracted Covid-19 and tracks people who travelled from at-risk countries that require self-quarantine for 14 days.

The app was jointly developed by the NIA, the National Science and Technology Development Agency, the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, the Digital Government Agency, Thammasat University and the Digital Economy Promotion Agency.

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) can access the data and provide recommendations for at-risk people, including those who develop Covid-19 symptoms. The app can also show travel journeys for those determined to be infected.

Moreover, people who have close contact with people suspected of contracting the coronavirus can also download the app to self-report their health conditions over 14 days.

Telemedicine in motion

Yothi Medical Innovation District (YMID) under the NIA and the Technology and Innovation-Based Enterprise Development Fund have fostered a channel where tech start-ups can help patients avoid the hospital, talking to doctors online to help reduce the chance of contracting the coronavirus.

The service should help reduce the workload for physicians and nurses and make hospitals less crowded.

The YMID has a collection of 22 health tech start-ups that separately play a role in screening patients, giving basic medical advice, teleconsulting, conducting diagnoses, providing patient-care systems and arranging medical logistics.

For example, patients suffering from non-communicable diseases can seek teleconsultation with health experts, practice telemedicine in which medical practitioners can conduct remote diagnoses and use external laboratory tests for their health conditions.

AI can be used for diagnosis, while robots can be deployed to take care of patients in negative pressure rooms to ward off the chance of infection among medical personnel.

Meanwhile, more than 30 start-ups are working on technology that supports social distancing, such as video conferencing, data gathering and online learning.

A wake-up call

One expert stated that the outbreak is hampering traditional methods of operation, making digital approaches more important.

This is a wake-up call to organisations that focus on daily operational needs at the expense of investing in digital business and long-term resilience.

In businesses where remote working capabilities have not yet been established, they need to work out interim solutions such as instant messaging for general communication, file sharing/meeting solutions, and access to enterprise applications such as enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management, while reviewing all security arrangements to ensure secure access to applications and data.

Organisations also need to deal with staffing shortages to maintain basic operations. They need to conduct workforce planning to assess risks and address staffing gaps, such as identifying mission-critical service areas.

Businesses can explore how digital technologies can be used for work, such as AI technology for automating tasks, providing customer service and dealing with candidate screening.

Many organisations have already engaged with their customers via digital platforms, such as branded sites and apps, online marketplaces and social media, though offline face-to-face engagement still plays a vital role.

Enterprises should also enable customers to use self-service via online, mobile, social, kiosk and interactive voice response channels.

Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and one of China’s biggest technology giant recently announced plans to provide Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions and 5G technology to Siriraj Public Hospital in the fight against COVID-19.

The AI technology can help doctors analyse computed tomography (CT) quantification results of infection cases with high accuracy, according to the Dean at the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital from Mahidol University.

It can greatly help reduce the workload of Thai medical personnel working with patients contracted with COVID-19.

The 5G network can assist COVID-19 treatment hospitals to relieve network congestion and guarantee the quality of medical care service, the CEO of the tech firm’s Thailand stated.

The AI-assisted solution, based on the firm’s cloud technology, was co-developed by the firm and HY Medical, a Chinese enterprise that focuses on AI medical industry, using medical imaging through artificial intelligence.

The AI technology leverages the computer vision and medical image analysis to segment multiple pulmonary ground-glass opacities (GGOs) and lung consolidation and makes quantitative evaluations through CTs of patients’ lungs.

At least 20 hospitals in China have adopted the technology to handle COVID-19 cases.

Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society stated at a press conference that the Thai government have always attached great importance in enhancing the performance of Thai medical staff by implementing integrated digital technologies using 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), big data and cloud computing.

Thailand has so far reported 30 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number to 2,643 with two new deaths, bringing the death toll to 43.

Tech deployed to help fight COVID-19

OpenGov Asia earlier reported that Mor Chana, a mobile app, has been launched in Thailand. The mobile app is the outcome of the collaboration between multiple private and state organisations.

It serves as a tool to help people assess their coronavirus infection risk, assist health authorities in tracking users in close contact with infected people and prevent transmission among healthcare workers.

Anuchit Anuchitanukul, from the app development team, said, “It took two weeks to develop the app with collaboration from volunteers, citizens and the private and public sectors, all who wish to support physicians and medical teams who serve as the front-line warriors in the fight against COVID-19.”

The app aids in identifying individuals who could have been exposed to virus patients using GPS and Bluetooth technology to track their location.

With the app, health authorities would be able to identify individuals who have been in close contact with infected people.

This could also help prevent medical practitioners from contracting the disease.

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) will use artificial intelligence (AI) systems to analyse data collected from the app to aid in epidemiological studies.

Data from the app will be processed by the DDC iLAB analytic platform, which combines epidemiology analysis and AI technology to identify users who may be in proximity to infected people, said Sutthipong Phanthanalai, who developed DDC iLAB.

The app is also useful to the population large. General app users who are not medical professionals can use the app to locate the risk areas and adjust their travel plans accordingly.

“This contact tracing approach will play a significant role in containing the spread of COVID-19,” Digital Economy and Society Minister, Buddhipongse Punnakanta, said.  “It needs citizens to contribute to society by downloading it to help stop the viral spread and mitigate wider social and economic impacts.”

With the largest particle accelerator in the southern hemisphere, Australia could hold the key to fast-tracking the development of a vaccine for coronavirus.

Called Synchrotron, the particle accelerator allows researchers to see the structure of key proteins in a virus and how they interact with other molecules. This ability will be extremely advantageous in the development of a vaccine or treatment regimen.

I get a sound understanding of the positions of critical components of these proteins, companies can develop drugs that bind to these proteins and potentially prevent or treat disease.

“You need to know what the protein looks like so you can design a drug to attach to it,” Synchrotron director Professor Andrew Peele said. “It’s like designing a key for a lock, you need to know the dimensions of the keyhole.”

While many proteins in the virus have already been mapped, researchers from Australia’s Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation are constructing molecular structures of COVID-19 proteins. Once established, the clear 3D image will be made available to other coronavirus researchers.

In the meantime, the British Government aims to have millions of rapid detection coronavirus tests available in pharmacies and online stores. These tests can detect coronavirus antibodies from a self-administered finger prick.

Researchers at a leading university are completing work on a new test that can detect whether someone has already beaten the virus.

While the test does not detect whether someone is currently infected with the virus, it can determine if a person has already had the virus and recovered.

Initially, the tests will be reserved for hospital patients, health care staff and other essential workers, but will eventually be available for the general public to test themselves.

The tests are aimed at detecting which people have already had coronavirus and recovered from it so that they can return to work and go back to living their lives.

Japan is also driving efforts to find drugs that could cure COVID-19 patients from unlikely players.

Japan’s health minister, Katsunobu Kato, had enlisted Fujifilm, a camera and imaging company, to help fight COVID-19.

Kato hopes to use an existing drug could be used to treat patients. One candidate was an anti-influenza drug, which had been developed decades earlier by the Fujifilm subsidiary Toyama Chemical.

Working incessantly, the team drew up contingency plans for ramping up production of the drug, coordinated with clinical researchers throughout Japan and aided in getting the drug to hospitals where its use had been approved by the government as an emergency measure to treat dozens of COVID-19 patients.

While there is not yet any detailed data supporting the drug’s effectiveness as a COVID-19 treatment, there are some reasons for optimism. At least one of the clinical trials will conclude at the end of June and will provide much-needed data.

According to a recent report, Fujifilm has discussed the possibility of the drug’s trials in the US with the FDA and the US Department of Health and Human Services.

While most countries have imposed versions of a lockdown, they are also exploring every avenue that could lead to a diagnostic, treatment and/or vaccine.

Countries across the world are working overtime to get solutions to combat the COVID-19 pandemic deploying technology and tool as best they can.