An RMIT University expert is available for comment on ‘false positive’ results in Bluetooth mobile tracing apps
An RMIT University expert is available to talk to media on the topic of Bluetooth mobile tracing apps such as COVIDSafe and the rate of ‘false positive’ results in densely populated settings.
Dinesh Kumar (+61 404 716 543 or dinesh.kumar@rmit.edu.au)
Topics: Bluetooth technology, implementation, error rates, bio-signal processing
“While contact tracing apps are an excellent idea, the current implementation has significant limitations for high density settings, with the technology potentially recording many false positive contacts.
“Using Bluetooth technology, implementation of these apps could become near useless for contact tracing in densely populated apartments and office blocks, limiting its uptake and making it far less effective.
“Tracing apps use Bluetooth to recognize another user and the signal has an open space range that in practice is about three metres for phones with the older version and ten for more modern phones that run the BLE Bluetooth version.
“The signal is attenuated by mediums such as plasterboard, glass, brick, and metal but nevertheless it travels through walls and windows quite well.
“This means you will be detected as being in proximity to a person who has the app even when they are in a different office, the room next door, or possibly the apartment or office above or below.
“As a result, in densely populated buildings up to 16 people could be erroneously detected as being in proximity to just one person who has a confirmed COVID-19 case, even if that person with the virus had been socially isolating and never in physical proximity of others.
“This is a significant number of false positives and would result in the tracing app soon becoming under-valued because of poor specificity, which must be addressed if it is to be a key tool against the pandemic.”
Professor Dinesh Kumar is a biomedical signals expert in the School of Engineering at RMIT University, Melbourne. His research focuses on biomedical engineering, bio-signal processing and intelligent systems. He has gained international media coverage for his work.
For media enquiries, please contact RMIT Communications: 0439 704 077 or news@rmit.edu.au
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