Sector: Digital Website: www.a3ksrl.com
Brief description of the organisation/initiative
A3K S.R.L. aims to offer services of research, design, development, production, management, consulting, creation and marketing of digital solutions for Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Machine Learning, Data Mining, Predictive Analysis, Big Data, Decision Support Systems, Business Intelligence, Deep Learning, Computer Vision, Natural Language Processing, Computational Argumentation, Semantic Web, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Cloud Computing, Edge Computing, Blockchain & DLT, Brain Computer Interface, Digital Transformation, Industry 4. 0, Digital Healthcare, Internet of Things (IoT) and Internet of Medical Things (IoMT).
Challenge overview
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought opportunities for high-tech companies to develop new products that protect people’s health. In the beginning, the pandemic had a great impact on the Italian population. Italy was the first country in Europe hit by the coronavirus. The pandemic opened space for innovation and fast exploitation of novel solutions that can mitigate the negative consequences of the widespread of the virus. The pandemic gave A3K S.R.L.the opportunity to develop an innovative product like (ME)2, a mask that can detect respiratory problems at early stages.
Establishment of the organisation/initiative/enterprise
A3K S.R.L. was established as an innovative start-up at the beginning of 2021 after winning the PIN (Pugliesi Innovativi) call for proposals promoted by Regione Puglia. This project, Monitoring Equipment Mask Environment, in short (ME)², was initially conceived as a possible intervention against the pandemic caused by Covid-19, combining Daniele’s Digital Maker skills with Andrea’s Artificial Intelligence skills. Subsequently, the team realised that the idea could also be extended to an open market basin, averting the possibility of using (ME)² precisely for the early detection of Covid-19 symptoms. However, prediction is better than cure.
Management structure and governance
A3K S.R.L. is a profit organisation. The management team consists of Daniele Monte (SW Engineer and Digital Maker) and Andrea Pazienza (AI Research and Data Scientist).
Principles of work, objectives and activities
At the moment, the primary objective focused on the winning project of the PIN Call for Proposals called (ME)² is to design and prototype a device that can protect the wearer and, at the same time, communicate health-related information. The mask will therefore be equipped with onboard sensors with computational capabilities that allow continuous monitoring of vital parameters required for intelligent analysis.
Officially known as Monitoring Equipment Mask Environment, abbreviated to (ME) ² is centred on the study, design and 3D printing prototyping of an intelligent mask that, through the Artificial Intelligence tools applied on the edge of the mask, allows to detect a possible anomalous and early symptom linked to respiratory tract diseases.
Aspiring to manage even complex contexts, such as the recognition of COVID-19 symptoms, the applicability of this mask would potentially extend to the detection of a broader class of respiratory tract diseases, as it can be useful not only to those who have come in contact with possible viruses and therefore in preventive quarantine, but also to patients who are already infected who need continuous monitoring of parameters by staying at home and freeing up beds in the hospital, or even patients already hospitalised but in non-serious conditions.
More generally, in the engineering sector, A3K s.r.l. offers innovative high-tech services, research & development, and innovative software development.
In the industrial sector, the company offers services and activities for research, technological analysis, experimental development of professional solutions for the 3D printing of plastics, as well as, the marketing of rapid prototyping services for companies and individuals.
Target groups
The benefits of this best practice are aimed at all age groups of the population, especially those who need an innovative approach to prevention and medical care.
Some of the target groups of the idea are citizens, public and private healthcare organisations, individuals with diseases that need protection from Covid-19 and early diagnosis of Covid-10, and educational institutions.
Innovation
The company aims to offer innovative solutions that can bring positive change to society. The use of innovative technologies such as the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence creates a combination of digital solutions that come to life with the creation of 3D-printed digital manufacturing prototypes. These are the company’s extraordinary characteristics.
Key partners
Some of the key partners of A3K S.R.L. are Regione Puglia, ARTI – Agenzia Regionale per la Tecnologia e l’Innovazione and Asteria srl. The received funding from the PIN program has been provided by the European Social Fund.
The partnership with Asteria srl puts the focus on improving the interaction and analysis of data collected by medical devices connected with Artificial Intelligence tools, models and technologies.
Impact and Evaluation
New technologies in the service of medical care can help overcome the limitations of current medical science. Early diagnosis of Covid-19, thanks to the technology A3K S.R.L. has implemented, can make the spread of the virus much slower. The use of a mask is less invasive than the swabs people use and, at the same time, would ensure that the health status of an individual is known in time, preventing any social contacts.
Furthermore, A3K S.R.L. has entered the ranking of the 100 finalists of the 2022 edition of DigithOn, a launch project for new startups dedicated to the main issues at the centre of the digital revolution.
Recommendations
The experience of A3K S.R.L. can help in any other global context. The dramatic experience of Covid-19 affected all countries indiscriminately and all could potentially benefit from an innovative instrument like theirs. The product can find applications on the global market.
Lessons Learned
Even a tragic pandemic crisis can give a push towards innovative ideas that protect health. The team has a duty to protect the most fragile by ensuring timely diagnoses that can prevent the circulation of unknowingly Covid-19 infected individuals.
References
A3K S.R.L. website.
PIN program profile of the company.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.