COV-IRT
The COVID-19 International Research Team has partnered with RealNetworks to make the free MaskCheck™ app available on Android and iOS platforms
The COVID-19 International Research Team is a highly-regarded global community of scientists driving research into COVID-19 using a large consortium open science model to efficiently and rapidly improve our understanding of COVID-19. RealNetworks, building upon its roots in video technology and leadership in SAFR computer vision, developed the MaskCheck computer vision-based solution to help public officials gather real-time, accurate behavioral face mask compliance data.
“The first goal of COVID-19 International Research Team is to enhance public knowledge by cutting edge scientific research to reveal host infection dynamics for SARS-CoV-2 to ultimately improve medical treatment options for COVID-19 patients. In partnering with RealNetworks to distribute and encourage the use of MaskCheck to monitor and analyze face mask compliance, we are on our way to improving control of this pandemic,” stated Afshin Beheshti, PhD, Co-President of the COVID-19 International Research Team.
“RealNetworks is honored to be working with the COVID-19 International Research Team to bring MaskCheck to market,” said Rob Glaser, founder and CEO of RealNetworks. “Together we believe that one of the fastest ways to stop the spread of the coronavirus is for everyone to simply wear a face mask. It is our joint hope that thousands of locations worldwide will soon quickly deploy MaskCheck. This will encourage use of face masks and provide data that will help municipalities and businesses understand what is actually happening in their locations and communities, will inform both private actions and policy making, and will help make the world safer.”
On November 10th, 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a scientific brief that “recommends community use of masks, specifically non-valved multi-layer cloth masks, to prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2.” On December 4th, the CDC made an even stronger argument for the “universal use of face masks in indoor (non-household) settings”. The COVID-19 International Research Team and RealNetworks both believe that mask compliance is an essential part of helping our communities lower COVID transmission and stay safer.
How does MaskCheck fit into the COVID-19 International Research Team’s platform to reduce the spread of COVID-19?
- One of the goals for the COVID-19 International Research Team is to reduce the spread of COVID-19 through raising public awareness and knowledge. MaskCheck is aligned with this goal to allow the public, institutions, schools, and businesses to have the best policies in place to increase mask compliance to further reduce the spread of COVID-19.
- Another goal is to provide free resources and tools that can benefit society as a whole and provide a real impact with dealing with pandemics, such as COVID-19. MaskCheck will be a free tool that will allow the general public to deal with pandemics such as COVID-19.
- Lastly, by bringing awareness of proper COVID-19 protocols for the public to follow, MaskCheck will allow ordinary citizens and the scientific community to unite for one common goal: to help end this pandemic quickly and prepare for future pandemics.
More information on our partnership can be found at: www.cov-irt.org/MaskCheck
You can immediately start using the MaskCheck platform by downloading the MaskCheck App to your iOS and Android devices.
MaskCheck is composed of:
The free, easy to install app uses artificial intelligence to assess face mask compliance, encourages proper usage, and reports aggregated and non-personally identifiable information (non-PII) based mask compliance data. It detects faces as people walk past the tablet’s camera, and determines if they are wearing a mask (properly) or not. It provides visual feedback to encourage compliance. No interaction is required, and no images or PII are collected or saved.
A public health data repository service
The back-end infrastructure aggregates anonymous data submitted by a growing network of MaskCheck enabled devices and/or closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems. The data includes compliance based on geographic location, classification of location, and non PII-based demographic information.
A visualization map and data platform
The frequently updated mask compliance data feed can be used by any and all concerned parties under a free creative commons license, accessed via APIs by anyone in the world. This dynamic dataset is also visually represented via live dashboards in our MaskCheck Map at: https://safr.real.com/maskmap. Its content will continue to grow in tandem with MaskCheck deployment.
What data is collected by MaskCheck?
- Date, time and location
- Total number of persons detected
- Number of persons detected wearing a mask
- Number of persons detected wearing a mask properly
- Number of persons detected without a mask
- Estimated age (user option)
- Estimated gender (user option)
- Image (user option, off by default)
- MaskCheck does NOT collect facial images or PII data
How MaskCheck works
MaskCheck determines if a person is wearing a mask when they enter a business or other public space.
- Download the free MaskCheck app
- Create a free MaskCheck account
- Choose audio and visual responses, and name the device location
- Set up your MaskCheck-enabled device* at your desired location and begin screening.
- Make sure to position your device at any location where people will pass one at a time
When a person steps in front of the screen, MaskCheck determines if they are wearing an appropriate protective face covering, and a visual — and optional audio — response will be triggered:
“Thanks for wearing a mask, come on in!”
“Please put on a face mask, we require masks to enter.”
*Detailed instructions can be found in the Setup Guide.
