Skytek leads a high-profile European consortium that includes the Italian infectious diseases authority- Spallanzani, the Italian Navy and Rome’s largest hospital group Gemelli. In Ireland, the HSE and the Irish Centre for Emergency Management will assist with designing and testing the system.
The consortium has developed a leading-edge platform comprising a virtual command and control centre, which will streamline and support effective emergency response. The REACT-2 software solutions support the electronic capturing of case report forms for new Covid-19 cases, contact tracing information, analytics and decision support, and the provision of command and control features.
In early February, to demonstrate the system’s powerful capability, the Italian Navy made available the aircraft carrier flagship of the Italian Fleet, the ‘Cavour Carrier’. From the aircraft carrier, using the Ka band, via the Athena-Fidus satellite, and the SICRAL control centre personnel on board utilised the system to simulate Covid-19 case-related services and features. In parallel, Il Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli hospital in Rome, participated in the demonstrator. The efficient sharing and easy exchange of information via secure satellite were crucial aspects of the trial.
The platform was developed with the support of the European Space Agency, which co-funded the highly innovative initiative.
Welcoming the announcement, Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English TD said:
"I am very pleased to see further examples of Irish technology companies leading the way in developing innovative technologies to help mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It shows how Ireland's investment in ESA supports Irish companies to develop solutions that make a real difference to our lives. These projects also demonstrate how space technology can deliver tangible solutions to current and emerging challenges, including our global fight against the pandemic."
Tom Kelly, Divisional Manager Enterprise Ireland,
stated that: