Enabling Technologies for Social Distancing

The latest advances in several emerging technologies such as AI, blockchain, privacy-preserving algorithms used in localization and positioning systems, cloud computing and computer vision all have great potential in facilitating social distancing. Benefits range from supporting people to work from home to monitoring micro- and macro- movements such as contact tracing apps using Bluetooth, tracking the movement and transportation level of a city and wireless positioning systems to help people keep a safe distance by alerting them when they are too close to each other or to avoid congestion. However, implementing such technologies in practical scenarios still faces various challenges.