Real-time Geospatial Mapping and Outbreak Prediction Platform

Please select all the technologies currently used in your solution:

• Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning
• Big Data
• Biotechnology / Bioengineering
• GIS and Geospatial Technology
• Imaging and Sensor Technology
• Software and Mobile Applications

What “public good” does your solution provide?

Development of a comprehensive database for cholera 

Unlike COVID-19, a comprehensive point-in-time surveillance data for cholera (that can shed light on the seasonal nature of the outbreak) is not easily available to epidemiologist and data-scientists. Further, extraction/collection of data requires text-mining publicly-available weekly epidemiological reports, which are published in Portable Document Format (PDF). Also, data reporting frequency, accessibility and content differ from one-source to another. WHO reports cholera data on a yearly basis, which is very coarse to build models that can incorporate seasonal nature of the cholera outbreaks. ProMED, which is a collection of articles submitted by different sources, and contains more granular information, does not have a consistent structure.  

We will develop a data pipeline to collect, clean and combine cholera data from different sources (WHO, ProMED, WorldBank, weekly epidemiological reports, etc.,) and build a comprehensive database that can be used to build data-driven models for forecasting cholera outbreaks. 

The database will be made available publicly, including the option to download in multiple easy-to-consume formats.

How will your solution create tangible impact, and for whom?

OmniVis initially focused on tailoring our device to be used by community health workers, NGO field workers, and water testing laboratories. Diseases like cholera currently take a week to detect in water, using laboratory techniques that require infrastructure and years of training. We made a portable device for a user to take to the water source to detect cholera in water in under 30 minutes.

Additionally, OmniVis translated the device for healthcare workers to detect COVID-19 in patient samples. With an affordable price point, portability, and rapid results, we can let patients know about COVID-19 in a single appointment time. We believe with our model that we will allow for more COVID-19 testing to be conducted, allowing patients to know about their results earlier and lower cases. 

Links for COVID-19 testing: 

https://www.nationalgeographic...

https://abcnews.go.com/Politic...

How will you scale your impact over the next one year and the next three years?

OmniVis views scaling impact in four major ways:

1. Provide more tests to organizations to diagnose more patients than they current can.
2. Reach more countries and communities with more devices and testing.
3. Enter new disease markets to diagnose more diseases early, particularly with diseases that exacerbate inequity (tuberculosis, cholera, COVID-19, malaria, HIV).
4. Use data driven approaches to begin predicting outbreaks.

In the next 1 year:

With (1), providing more tests, OmniVis looks to lock in further funding from grants and venture capital to increase our manufacturing pipeline to maintain a low cost, competitive platform while providing enough tests to users. With more capital, we can scale manufacturing and provide cost competitive options. With (2) we are starting in the USA, Kenya, Bangladesh, and Haiti in the next 1 year. With (3) we are starting with detection of cholera and COVID-19. With (4) we are building out a predictive model for cholera and COVID-19 and working with mobile network operators to disseminate outbreak data to communities.

In 3 years:

We plan to have our HIV and malaria solutions on the market (3) with corresponding outbreak prediction platforms (4). We will also be reaching new countries for cholera testing (1 & 2).

How are you measuring success against your impact goals?

OmniVis wants to change the way that cholera detection was performed to make progress toward disease eradication. We believe that by detecting a case of cholera in a water source can impact numerous lives, from those who directly access the water source and the families that also use the same water (# of persons accessing safe water)

We are also considering the impact of detecting cholera and COVID-19, early (total # of lives improved for COVID-19 and cholera). 

Additionally, we use a log frame indicator for all of our field testing to measure solution progress and impact that align with our Theory of Change. For "outcomes" we measure:

• Increased number of sources tested per month
• Improved access of safe water
• Improved communication between field workers/testing organizations and communities
• Improved approaches to outbreak response

For "outputs" we measure:

• Development of a usable testing platform that field workers can use
• Improve testing science to be more accurate than current portable testing approaches
• Increased speed of testing that can be performed in a community
• Accurate recording of all relevant outbreak information at positive sample site (GPS, time, etc.)

In which countries do you currently operate?

• United States

In which countries do you plan to deploy your solution within the next 3 years?

• Bangladesh
• Haiti
• Kenya
• United States

What barriers currently exist for you to accomplish your goals in the next year and the next 3 years? How do you plan to overcome these barriers?

As a company, the two barriers we need to overcome in the next year (and next 3 years) are in manufacturing and international trade. Though experienced in prototyping devices, we are exploring solutions and forming strategy for scaling manufacturing to larger quantities. We have reached out to several product development consultancies to better understand the manufacturing challenges we face, and which manufacturing option is our best option at each stage of growth. Without team members physically located in our target regions which have variable and sometime volatile political and economic conditions, we expect that international trade will pose a steep learning curve. To prepare ourselves for these challenges, we are looking for advisors and board members with experiences in these fields to join our team and carefully select local partnerships that have the clout and reputation to pave the way for us. 

https://omnivistech.com

If you have additional video content that explains your solution, provide a YouTube or Vimeo link or upload a video here.

What type of organisation is your solution team?

List any organisations that you are formally affiliated with or working for

• Purdue University: We have a sub award grant for a collaboration with Purdue for HIV viral load testing and cholera testing.
• icddr,b: We worked previously with icddr,b for field testing on 2 occasions and have a grant to work with the organization for further field testing.
• Code for Africa: We have a grant to work with the organization for further field testing.

Why are you applying to The Trinity Challenge?

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, OmniVis was building a cholera detection solution with a data-driven approach to eliminate outbreaks by early detection. When the pandemic hit, we translated our technology to tackle COVID-19. The Trinity Challenge encompasses the same vision that OmniVis has, that collaboration in the early identification and response of infectious diseases can lead to more rapid recovery. With the alignment of our company goals with this Challenge, we can provide the diagnostic device, data, and prediction models as one of the many elements needed to overcome outbreaks. 

What organisations would you like to partner with, why, and how would you like to partner with them?

• ProMED: OmniVis would like to partner with ProMED to utilize their reporting system for 1) disseminating our diagnostic-test driven insights and outbreak forecasts around the world as quickly as possible and 2) consuming the latest news/information/data for improving our models.  
• Johns Hopkins University and their COVID-19 dashboard: We believe that OmniVis and JHU could partner and learn from one another to use current data to predict future outbreaks.
• CDC: OmniVis would like to work with a major player like the CDC to understand and work together on rapid outbreak response after collecting any diagnostic data.
• Higher Life Foundation - We would like to partner with Higher Life Foundation with their focus on Cholera Response/Roadmap to elimination. We believe that our collaborative strengths can help strengthen cholera prediction models toward disease elimination.