Quantitative Airborne Pathogen Exposure Assessment Tool
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for assessing exposure risks to airborne pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2, rely on qualitative guidance, making it difficult to compare mitigation options and quantify exposure effectively due to the complexity of factors involved.
Innovation Solution
A quantitative tool is developed that incorporates mechanistic, stochastic, and epidemiological factors to assess exposure to airborne aerosol pathogens, considering emission rates, ventilation, personal protective equipment, social distancing, and other variables, using data from various devices to determine inhalation doses and risk scores.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If qualitative guidance is used for assessing exposure risks, then the assessment process is simple, but the ability to compare mitigation options and quantify exposure is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The assessment system is segmented into multiple independent modules: pathogen emission rate calculation, inhalation dose determination, risk score calculation, and mitigation option evaluation. Each module handles specific factors (e.g., ventilation, PPE, social distancing) separately, allowing precise quantification while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular architecture.
2Reliability
If multiple factors are considered in the exposure assessment, then the accuracy of risk evaluation is improved, but the complexity of the assessment process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where risk scores and inhalation dose calculations are continuously updated based on input from multiple factors including pathogen emission rates, ventilation conditions, PPE effectiveness, and social distancing measures. This feedback loop enables accurate risk evaluation while the automated calculation framework manages the complexity of processing multiple interrelated factors simultaneously.
3Productivity
If rapid qualitative assessments are performed, then the assessment speed is fast, but the ability to compare various courses of action is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables rapid assessment by using standardized parameters and pre-configured calculation models for different mitigation scenarios. Users can quickly compare various courses of action by adjusting key parameters (e.g., ventilation rates, PPE types, group size) and immediately obtaining updated risk scores and inhalation dose estimates, combining speed with versatile comparison capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Technologies are provided for assessment of exposure to airborne aerosol pathogens (e.g., SARS-CoV-2). Exposure can be assessed using a model that yields a score quantifying comparative dose which can be classified into an exposure risk category in a particular scenario relative to a high-risk scenario. The model incorporates mechanistic, stochastic, and epidemiological factors that define the particular scenario within an activity region. The model can determine an average concentration of pathogen within the activity region, for a particular exposure duration, using an approach that includes near-field and far-field contributions. In some embodiments, an apparatus can access data from various devices. The data defines at least some of the factors the define the particular scenario. The apparatus can determine an average concentration within the activity region, and can cause a display device to present indicia indicative of the exposure risk.