‘Smart’ Thermometers Record Spread, Intensity of Influenza

 

When a child feels sick, one of the first things a parent does is reach for a thermometer.

That common reaction got one man thinking.

Inder Singh is a health policy expert. He wondered what if the thermometer, in addition to measuring body temperature, could serve as a communications device? Could it then connect people with information about infections and gather real-time data on diseases as they spread?

That is the idea behind Singh’s health data business. The San Francisco-based company, called Kinsa, sells “smart” thermometers.

Worst flu season in years

Many people in the United States are sick with influenza¹ this winter. In fact, this is reported to be the country’s worst flu season in 15 years.

Over the past several weeks, Kinsa has been following the spread and severity of flu-like symptoms across the country. The company says its findings are similar to those reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Singh told VOA that the CDC collects information about the spread of the flu from state and regional reports. But he adds Kinsa is able to identify high rates of infection in even smaller areas or by cities.

Fast and detailed² information about how disease is spreading can make a difference during a health crisis.

Singh said, “If you knew when and where a disease was starting, you could target the people who needed the treatment and potentially prevent pandemics and epidemics⁴ from occurring.”

How the smart thermometer works

A Kinsa thermometer sells for anywhere between $14.99 and $49.99 in the U.S.

Users connect the device through Bluetooth wireless⁵ technology to a smartphone app. The software program asks questions about a person’s condition. The user’s personal information is kept private, the company said.

With its thermometers in 500,000 homes nationwide, Kinsa says it receives 25,000 temperature readings every day.

The company cannot identify diseases or recognize differences between different kinds of diseases.

But from gathering⁶ data about individuals’ body temperatures and other information, Kinsa can report where flu-like symptoms are rising. In recent weeks, it found the flu has infected many people in two states: Missouri and Kansas.

Selling aggregated⁷ data

In addition to selling thermometers and advertising⁸ on its app, Kinsa makes money by selling data to businesses. Singh says that his company removes any personally identifiable information.

The buyers, such as drug companies, want to know where and how sickness is spreading. They fill stores with products and change marketing⁹ plans if they know how a sickness is progressing.

Kinsa has launched a program in schools, where it gives away thermometers, so parents can learn about the general health of the community. The company is also starting an effort with some U.S. businesses, which buy the smart thermometers for their employees. When an employee has a high temperature, Kinsa can inform the person about available health care assistance.

Currently, Kinsa thermometers are sold just in the United States. But the company plans to sell them overseas.

“Imagine a living breathing map where you can see where and when disease is spreading,” Singh said. “That’s what we want.”

I’m Jonathan Evans.

Words in This Story

thermometer – n. an instrument used for measuring temperature

data – n. facts or information that is produced or stored on a computer

smart – adj. controlled by computers

symptom – n. a change in a person’s health which is a sign of a disease

regional – adj. related to or involving a part of a country or state

pandemic – n. an event in which a disease spreads quickly and affects many people over a wide area

epidemic³ – n. an event in which a disease spreads quickly and affects many people

1 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

2 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

3 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

4 epidemics   

n．流行病

参考例句：

• Reliance upon natural epidemics may be both time-consuming and misleading. 依靠天然的流行既浪费时间，又会引入歧途。
• The antibiotic epidemics usually start stop when the summer rainy season begins. 传染病通常会在夏天的雨季停止传播。

5 wireless   

adj.无线的；n.无线电

参考例句：

• There are a lot of wireless links in a radio.收音机里有许多无线电线路。
• Wireless messages tell us that the ship was sinking.无线电报告知我们那艘船正在下沉。

6 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

7 aggregated   

a.聚合的，合计的

参考例句：

• He aggregated her to a political party. 他吸收她参加一政党。
• The audiences aggregated a million people. 观众总数达100万人。

8 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

9 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。