Oakland University puts ‘BioButton’ to use to help prevent COVID spread

School officials say BioButton could limit outbreaks

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. – To help protect its campus from coronavirus, Oakland University is offering a wearable device to students and staff that tracks the wearer’s temperature, heart rate and more.

The BioButton, created by BioIntelliSense, will combine vital sign information and screening questions to clear users for regular activities.

RELATED: Tracking coronavirus cases, outbreaks in Michigan schools

The BioButton is a small device that sticks to the user’s chest with sticky tabs, where it measures certain vitals and can alert the wearer and the health clinic of important changes in those vitals -- like a spike in temperature and heart rate.

“OU is joining the battle by looking outside of the box for creative and new problem-solving opportunities,” said Dr. David Stone, with OU. “Our hope is that the BioButton can help us prevent individual spread from becoming major outbreaks.”

Using the early warning device, students and faculty can be taken out of circulation while they wait to get a final determination from a test without them unknowingly spreading COVID before they realize they might need a test.

More information on the BioButton can be found here.

For a complete overview of the BioButton technology, visit the Grizzlies Protect Grizzlies web section.

Paula Tutman’s full story can be seen in the video above.


About the Authors

Paula Tutman is an Emmy award-winning journalist who came to Local 4 in 1992. She's married and the stepmother of three beautiful and brilliant daughters. Her personal philosophy in life, love and community is, "Do as much as you can possibly do, not as little as you can possibly get away with".

Dane is a producer and media enthusiast. He previously worked freelance video production and writing jobs in Michigan, Georgia and Massachusetts. Dane graduated from the Specs Howard School of Media Arts.

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