Test phase for contact tracing app begins
TraceCORONA platform delveloped in Germany with UC San Diego MICS center collaboration enables efficient and comprehensive pandemic tracing without revealing personal data
A research team from Germany and UC San Diego have been working on an anonymous contact tracing app with a secure information platform for several weeks now: "TraceCORONA" is now ready for the beta test. In the so-called beta test phase, users have the opportunity to install and test the app and to support the research team with their feedback. The current version of the TraceCorona app was initially developed for Android devices, but a version for Apple's iOS operating system is already planned.
The aim of the app is to support the tracking of the COVID-19 infection chains - completely anonymously and without the disclosure of personal data. The involved researchers are from the TU Darmstadt, the University of Wuerzburg and the California UC San Diego, working on this together with the KOBIL Systems, an IT security company, and the support of Intel.
The researchers looked at various questions: Which technologies are best suited for contact tracking? What data should be collected to help patients and support health professionals? How can the deployed technologies guarantee the security and privacy of users?
To address these challenges it emerged that a more comprehensive platform for pandemic tracking and information analysis is needed. A short-term and long-term fight against pandemics like COVID-19 requires a holistic approach, in which a tracing app is only part of the overall solution. An ecosystem of communication options and services is also required to answer the specific questions and problems of the people concerned. On a voluntary basis, information can also be collected and analyzed on the platform in accordance with data protection in order to better understand the pandemic and its effects.
The tracing app integrated in the platform warns users about contact with infected persons. If this is the case, it is important that those affected and their surroundings receive help and expert advice quickly and confidentially, and that individual offers and services are provided while maintaining their privacy. Therefore, TraceCORONA extends pure contact tracking with other services and offers the possibility of being a secure communication platform for questions, information and services related to COVID-19. The underlying technology is based on the mPower security platform from KOBIL, which has been used for several years to protect security and privacy-critical applications such as online banking or health insurance apps. The anonymous and decentralized contact tracing app developed in this international researcher team docks onto this platform and uses its services.
Since TraceCORONA is currently released for beta testing, it is not yet available in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Once the test phase is complete, the research team will work on the problems found and then make the app available to the public. Then TraceCORONA will be expanded with additional services from the underlying platform.
How to get and test the app: Instructions for downloading and installing the app are available on the website https://tracecorona.net/
If you have any questions, please contact the research team at https://tracecorona.net/
