The Kudelski Group, which specializes in digital security, and hardware designer and manufacturer CoreKinect announced the launch of a joint solution enabling hospitals, government agencies and non-governmental organizations to track key assets in the fight against COVID-19.
In a release, Kudelski said it is providing hardware-based device and data security embedded into CoreKinect’s flexible trackers. The partners noted that the solution can be easily customized for monitoring the location, quality and authenticity of any product, device or shipment.
The companies also highlighted that hospitals, governments, NGOs and private industry are all struggling to manage the flow of much-needed medications and medical equipment to treatment centers. Up to $3.5 billion worth of pharmaceutical products are destroyed every year due to improper refrigeration during shipping and storage, ruining up to 20% of the total shipped, according to the two companies.
CoreKinect’s disposable tracking and sensing solution can be incorporated into boxes, pallets or even product packaging to monitor the location, temperature, humidity and other transport conditions of medical equipment, consumables and pharmaceuticals throughout the entire distribution chain. Using LoRa-WAN, NB-IoT, 5G or Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connections and gateways, the tags can communicate with CoreKinect’s backend and provide updated information to authorized users. Kudelski’s IoT Security Platform technology – embedded in the tags – ensures that all data is encrypted end-to-end and can be positively authenticated back to the device it came from, the company noted.
“We are eager to do our part to enable medical professionals and government agencies to have greater visibility, control and accountability for critical assets; both during the COVID-19 crisis and to create better efficiency and better patient outcomes in general,” said Ali Kozlica, executive chairman at CoreKinect. “Our proprietary hardware architecture allows us to deliver customizable solutions at scale, giving real-time insights that will help save lives at a fraction of the cost of current solutions. Our teams are committed to improving quality of life for patients everywhere.”
“Now more than ever, trust, integrity and control are critical to the supply chain that has become a very real lifeline to hospitals around the world. By working with CoreKinect, we’re ensuring tracking data is protected, access to it is controlled, and tracking devices are protected from tampering. This ultimately leads to a single, visible version of the truth that gives confidence to all involved,” said Patrick Hauert, VP IoT Security at Kudelski Group.
CoreKinect and Kudelski also said they are reaching out to government agencies and other businesses to explore ways to support COVID-19 relief efforts.
