Background

Motivation

1. Transmissible diseases such as influenza A have been a life-threatening issue that could take away lives of millions of people. Here are several facts that provide motivation for our project:

a) 1957: Asian flu

fig1 fig2

b) 1968: Hong Kong flu

fig4

c) Current:

table1

2. The symptoms of cold and flu are hard to differentiate. However, standard testing methods include quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) require expertise and being in a lab setting.

Current solution

The symptoms of cold and flu are hard to differentiate. However, standard testing methods include quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) require expertise and being in a lab setting.
Transmissible diseases such as influenza A have been a life-threatening issue that could take away lives of millions of people.
Inaccurate diagnosis of influenza leads to inappropriate treatment of flu-like symptoms.

Problems of the current solution

Data collection
1. Relying on the doctors and other medical staff in the clinics and hospitals to upload data to the monitoring system is extremely difficult as they are busy and lack in motivation, which results in the fact the data collection may not be timely enough. According to our interview with prof. Lee, the largest disease monitoring website in Hong Kong only have around two hundred of active users at the same time.
2. According to our survey, only around 30% of the public will go to the clinic when they get flu-like symptoms. Thus, the data collected by the medical staff will be limited.
Diagnosis
1. Standard testing methods include quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) require expertise and being in a lab setting.

Our solution

A cheap, fast and convenient tool for the general public to achieve self-detection of influenza.
An accurate and timely disease monitor for the local community.

For More Details

Reference