Gabriele FerriJun 2, 2020

#ThingsofCOVID19 and #designethics. In Qatar, last Friday it became compulsory to download and use the EHTERAZ contact tracing app. Amnesty International raises the alarm not only about the fact that the app is extremely invasive (using GPS to track everyone's location) but was also not secure, with a known vulnerability leaking highly sensitive personal information, including the name, national ID, health status and location data of more than one million users.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/05/qatar-covid19-contact-tracing-app-security-flaw/

Major security flaw uncovered in Qatar's contact tracing app

A major security vulnerability in Qatar's COVID-19 contact tracing app exposed sensitive personal details of more than one million people.

Amnesty International
Gabriele FerriMay 18, 2020

many #ThingsofCOVID19 are robots of various types. This one is an autonomous rover designed to roam a supermarket or a warehouse, while blasting UV lights that (should) kill viruses. I do wonder about the effect of UV radiation on fresh foods...

https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-builds-uv-light-robot-to-kill-coronavirus-on-surfaces-2020-5?r=US&IR=T

Amazon built a roving robot covered in UV light bulbs that could kill the coronavirus in warehouses and Whole Foods stores

In a video, the robot rolls down the aisle of a Whole Foods store, beaming UV light at the freezer doors.

Gabriele FerriApr 29, 2020

The metro trains in Milan, quite close to the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy, will have stickers to remind passengers of what is the "safe" distance to keep. I guess that visualizing a relatively abstract notion (stay at least 1.5 meters apart) into something that's more embodied is a challenge for many #ThingsofCOVID19

https://milano.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/20_aprile_26/metropolitana-milano-distanziamento-coronavirus-fase-2-cerchi-rossi-che-segneranno-distanze-stai-qui-be5b25d2-877f-11ea-8a3a-5c7a635a608c.shtml

«Stai qui»: i cerchi che segneranno le distanze nel metrò a Milano

Le impronte bianche di due suole di scarpa: ecco la campagna per la gestione della «fase 2» sui mezzi pubblici dell’Atm. Indicheranno le posizioni corrette per non stare troppo vicini e contenere il rischio di contagio

Gabriele FerriApr 28, 2020
The future of air travel in the times of COVID-19? I think it's quite interesting to see that many designers and vendors (like Avio Interiors, linked here) focus on #ThingsofCOVID19 to fix (?) minute issues rather than the larger system of air travel. I'm not saying that focusing on quick solutions is per se always wrong, but perhaps a broader rethinking is in order...
http://aviointeriors.it/2020/press/glassafe/
Gabriele FerriApr 23, 2020
another item for the #thingsofCOVID19 collection, a multipurpose object to push buttons, open doors, pull levers and even carry shopping bags! This one is not for sale, and its author Matteo Zallio released it as an Open Source / Creative Commons thing to 3D-print, adapt it and use it
https://www.matteozallio.com/handy
Handy | Matteo Zallio

Handy multipurpose tool is an open source, 3D-printed, resilient response to COVID-19 outbreaks to be used on a daily basis.

Gabriele FerriApr 19, 2020
#thingsofCOVID19 here is another example of a curious ritual that could (?) become commonplace in a lasting pandemic: sterilizing your smarphone
Gabriele FerriApr 15, 2020

I keep encountering various objects that I've begun to call #thingsofCOVID19
This is a proposed solution, still at a concept phase, for social distancing on the seaside.
The proposal itself seems....questionable but I find it fascinating to see how COVID19 touches every facet of design in public spaces.

https://www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2020/04/14/news/coronavirus_box_in_plexiglass_tra_i_lettini_sulla_spiaggia_cosi_garantiamo_la_sicurezza_ma_facciamo_ripartire_il_paese_-253958190/

Box in plexiglass tra gli ombrelloni: ''Così garantiamo la sicurezza ma facciamo ripartire il Paese''

L'idea di un'azienda modenese in vista dell'estate e l'interesse degli stabilimenti balneari ma anche di ristoranti e bar. La sottosegretaria

Gabriele FerriApr 6, 2020

I've begun to notice a number of new weird ads on my socials during the pandemic, and I've decided to keep track of them. This is called Heygienic, and is a stick to press buttons without touching them with a finger. Also, it seems to be in two colors (for him and for her?)
#thingsofCOVID19 #speculativedesign

(I'm not linking to the page itself, I don't want to spread spam, but it's one google search away...)