Leveraging Emerging Technologies for Biosurveillance

Public health, agriculture, the environment, and the food supply are at significant risk from infectious agents that arise naturally, through accidents, or via intentional introduction.

Apac CIOOutlook | Monday, May 27, 2024

Advanced sensor technologies and AI in BISR enhance the detection and management of biological threats, aiding early response and mitigation and supporting health, safety, and ecosystem well-being.

FREMONT, CA: Public health, agriculture, the environment, and the food supply are at significant risk from infectious agents that arise naturally, through accidents, or via intentional introduction. Despite notable technological advances that potentially transform biosurveillance, the ability to swiftly and effectively detect these biological pathogens still needs to be improved.

The core of biosurveillance is rooted in the concept of health, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). This concept is an integrated, unifying approach to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems. It acknowledges the interconnectedness of health outcomes across humans, animals, and ecosystems, highlighting what impacts everyone.

Stay ahead of the industry with exclusive feature stories on the top companies, expert insights and the latest news delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe today.

Development of a BISR System

A Biosurveillance Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (BISR) system is developed to bridge the current detection gaps. This system would meet two critical needs for biosurveillance: rapid detection and predictive analysis.

BISR leverages existing repurposed and newly developed remote sensing systems, including multispectral and hyperspectral sensors. Proven technologies like genomic analysis and hyperspectral sensors are already used in food processing and are adapted for this purpose. Sensors are deployed in various locations, including confinement housing, food processing plants, aquatic systems, and at higher altitudes using balloons, aircraft, drones, and satellites.

Utilizing Proven Technologies

Technologies such as CubeSats, a class of nanosatellites, are particularly well-suited for BISR due to their low cost, ease of deployment, and short latency times. These sensors could play a crucial role during emergencies by providing rapid detection capabilities.

Research and Development Priorities

The next step involves prioritizing research and development to swiftly validate imagery and hyperspectral data findings regarding different volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and associating those changes with specific pathogens. This process requires the creation of standard reference cultures, combining genomic and hyperspectral microscopic analyses to establish definitive pathogen signatures.

These validated cultures would test sensor detection sensitivity across various environments and conditions, optimizing sensor placement to ensure accurate detection. Linking hyperspectral changes with specific diseases would enhance the effectiveness of biosurveillance.

Broader Applications of BISR

Beyond identifying pathogens in specific environments, BISR could detect larger-scale events by identifying exhaled gases and VOCs associated with metabolic changes during disease progression. For instance, during the recent avian influenza outbreak in livestock, BISR detected the disease's related VOCs rather than the viral particles.

This approach suggests the potential to identify diseases before clinical symptoms appear, facilitating proactive responses. Additionally, BISR monitors VOCs at mass gatherings, such as airports and stadiums, to alert public health officials about potential outbreaks and pandemics, supporting predictive analysis and anticipatory forecasting.

Role of AI and Machine Learning

The extensive data generated by the BISR system, with each pixel containing geospatial coordinates, is too vast for human analysts to manage alone. Therefore, an AI-based model trained by subject matter experts would be essential to handle this volume of data.

The combination of advanced sensors and AI platforms offers new capabilities for early-stage outbreak detection. AI systems, alongside experts working with algorithm developers and AI engineers, form the analytical backbone of BISR, enabling timely and accurate pathogen detection.

Integrating advanced sensor technologies and AI within the BISR framework transforms the detection and management of biological threats by providing tools for early detection, response, and mitigation. BISR would significantly enhance the ability to handle outbreaks efficiently. This system ultimately supports the health and safety of people, animals, and ecosystems, aligning with the health approach and addressing the interconnected challenges of infectious agents.

More in News

The Strategic Value of Strong Supplier Relationships

Quantum Technology: Driving APAC Industrial Transformation

Quantum technology is significantly advancing the fields of computation, communication, and sensing, thereby creating opportunities that were previously considered theoretical. Various organizations and research institutions are engaged in competition to develop more reliable qubits, implement effective error correction techniques, and establish scalable systems capable of addressing challenges that surpass the capabilities of classical computers. Emerging practical applications span a range of areas, including the acceleration of drug discovery, enhancement of cybersecurity measures, and optimization of complex logistical operations. Although challenges such as hardware fragility, environmental sensitivity, and substantial development costs remain, ongoing innovations in materials, cooling systems, and quantum algorithms are progressively mitigating these issues. Consequently, quantum technology is a domain where promise and progress are evolving in tandem. How Does Quantum Technology Benefit Industries Today? Quantum technology is starting to deliver real benefits across several industries by solving problems that were previously too complex or time-consuming for classical systems. In pharmaceuticals, quantum simulations are helping researchers model molecular interactions more accurately, speeding up drug discovery and reducing trial-and-error testing. Finance companies are exploring quantum algorithms to optimize portfolios, manage risk, and detect fraud faster than traditional systems. Even logistics and manufacturing are seeing advantages, with quantum-based optimization improving supply chain efficiency and resource allocation in ways that were once impossible at scale. Beyond computational speed, industries are also benefiting from advances in quantum sensing and communication. Quantum sensors offer unprecedented precision in fields like navigation, energy exploration, and environmental monitoring, while quantum encryption promises highly secure communication channels that could transform data security. By integrating these capabilities, businesses can make smarter decisions, reduce costs, and innovate faster. While adoption is still in early stages, the combination of computation, sensing, and secure communication is already giving forward-looking companies a competitive edge, showing that Quantum technology is moving from theory into tangible industry impact. What Innovations Are Shaping the Future of Quantum Technology? The future of Quantum technology is being driven by innovations that make quantum systems more stable, scalable, and practical for real-world use. Advances in qubit design, materials, and error-correction techniques are improving reliability, while hybrid quantum-classical algorithms allow businesses and researchers to harness quantum capabilities even before fully fault-tolerant machines are ready. This is opening early applications in areas like finance, logistics, and healthcare, where complex problems can be solved faster and more accurately than ever before. Moreover, breakthroughs in quantum communication, sensing, and software are expanding its reach. Quantum networks promise ultra-secure data transfer, while quantum sensors deliver unmatched precision in navigation, energy, and environmental monitoring. Cloud-based platforms are also making quantum tools accessible to smaller organizations, democratizing experimentation and innovation. Together, these advancements are positioning Quantum technology as a transformative force that can reshape industries, accelerate scientific discovery, and unlock entirely new possibilities. ...Read more

Mastering PPP project analysis, financing, contracts & transaction management techniques

Infocus International is delighted to bring one of their best virtual workshops, Public-Private Partnership (PPP) that will be set to commence 17 August 2026 . We need new infrastructure. Roads, airports, schools, hospitals and housing: the list is enormous and growing. Yet severely limited budgets, economic uncertainty caused by volatile commodity prices, and deficits continue to prevent government at all levels from delivering the kinds of structural change that has always been needed. In response, some countries have developed successful PPP programmes. Merely grasping the concepts of PPP does not do justice to our great responsibility of having an ownership in the country’s future. We already know what we need to do, now is the time to really discover HOW. One of our participants from Electricity Generation Company (Malawi) Ltd shared that, “ The facilitator was very knowledgeable on the subject matter, very responsive to questions and innovative in the delivery of the PPP training program. The knowledge gained will assist me in productive participation in ongoing and planned PPP Projects in my country.” Another participant from PNG Ports Corporation also mentioned that, “This is an excellent course for anyone involved in PPP. Highly recommended.” Benefits of Attending • Use best practices from international case studies of successful PPP transactions and common practical pitfalls to avoid • Design and manage PPP legal, regulatory & institutional frameworks to attract investors and complete PPP transactions • Apply models for the efficient design and completion of PPP feasibility studies • Understand project financing requirements and evaluate PPP financial models for both affordability and bankability • Evaluate and apply different credit enhancement techniques to ensure PPP bankability, including blended financing, viability gap funding (VGF), partial guarantees, risk insurance products, output-based aid (OBA) and other financial instruments • Design PPP transaction implementation plans and manage & oversee PPP transaction advisors for reaching commercial closure and financial closure • Models for PPP tender documents, including PPP Project Information Memoranda (“InfoMemos”), Requests for Qualifications (RFQs), Requests for Proposals (RFPs) • International models for designing and drafting PPP contracts & agreements • Environmental & social impact mitigation techniques to structure sustainable private investments in public infrastructure • Plans for managing sustainable PPP contracts including ensuring technical performance, quality of service delivery, price review & adjustment regulatory models, legal contract management and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) techniques Want to learn more? Simply email media@infocusinternational.com to register your attendance. For more information, please visit https://www.infocusinternational.com/ppp-online ...Read more

Deploying Big Data Analysis to Develop IoT Solutions

Data from various sources forms the basic foundation of businesses. In the present times, the improvement of connectivity in the IoT space has resulted in the transfer of huge chunks of data. Therefore, there is a need for big data analytics in IoT in order to address the challenges related to management of large-scale, through the data pipeline architecture. To begin with, data pipeline is the process concerned with the movement of data through an organization. Once data enters into an organization, the stage is referred to as data ingestion. Next in the process is the stage of data transportation from the data ingestion stage to the other stage is known as data collector. Followed by this, the data moves through the processing stage wherein appropriate measures are taken to store it. Data storage stage steps up to the data query stage where it is analyzed through interactive queries. The final stage is concerned with valid presentation of data in different forms of business infographics, such as graphs or statistics. Data generated in the IoT space requires a data management system with the following qualities: • It should be adapted to manage and process a huge number of data sources, keeping pace with the continuous increase of IoT devices. • The data management system must have a prompt response time in order to notify the concerned segment of the business in case of failures while processing or storing data. • The system must be able to scale data on multiple parameters such as a number of devices, storage, and messages. • Diversity and flexibility are required to process use cases and simultaneously accommodate new use cases. • The data management system should be cost-effective. All the above criteria suggest that IoT requires interacting with big data analytics tools in order to manage such big chunks of data. ...Read more