Chongqing tech companies serve in global fight against virus

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, technology companies in Liangjiang New Area, in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality, have released a number of products and technologies to help the world to tackle the virus, according to local officials.

Chongqing Fantibody Technology Co is a major provider of raw materials for various diagnostic reagents supplying China's coastal areas and the global market.

Officials said Fantibody's innovative products can detect the novel coronavirus in 10 minutes without professional equipment – suitable for basic medical institutions -- and they have become a powerful screening tool for preventing and controlling the virus.

Elsewhere, a thermometric camera and recovery application system for covered faces, developed by Chongqing Vimicro AI Chip Technology Co in Liangjiang Digital Economy Industrial Park, has been applied in Jiangsu, Sichuan and Jiangxi provinces.

The system is integrated with advanced image processing algorithms and has the advantage of speed, quality of thermal imaging, accuracy of temperature measurement and security.

The system also applies an embedded neural network processer to realize real-time video analysis while maintaining fast speeds in deployment and responses, a high accuracy of detection, low requirements for the network, low power consumption and low costs.

According to Li Jie, director of the Liangjiang science and technology innovation bureau, the new area allocated 1 billion yuan ($141.17 million) in funds for scientific research on epidemic prevention and control -- to encourage research on the virus in universities, institutes and companies.

Liangjaing New Area is also supporting companies to set up R&D reserves and issuing subsidies of up to 2 million yuan.

For products identified in the first batch of major equipment, new materials or software, Liangjiang New Area will offer subsidies up to 3 million yuan to manufactures and companies.

Officials said the area supports qualified manufactures that turn to the production of epidemic prevention and control materials in short supply, such as face masks and protective suits.

They said those manufactures will receive special subsidies for the technological transition.