This year we are participating for the third time in the openly accessible Austria-wide initiative “Industry meets Makers” with a current research topic: COVID-19 shows that maintainting physical distance is important. In some situations, however, people need support. We are looking for innovative technical ideas, prototypes or solutions in order to support the keeping of distance in a socially accepted and effective way.

Even if the “lock-down” during the COVID-19 pandemic is currently behind us, it is important to keep your distance from other people to prevent further infections. Because with increasing distance, the risk of infection decreases significantly. People need support in many situations because new rules and old habits and psychological factors often meet.

Simple and effective solutions are required, especially at congresses and similar events, where many strangers meet. Previously existing solutions are often unwieldy, questionable under data protection law, too expensive, cannot be used in all social situations or are not effective enough. We want to change this situation.

We are looking for ideas with which people can be kept away from conventions and similar events using comfortable but effective sensory measures. These can be completely new ideas, existing prototypes or the further development of existing solutions that provide feedback on the spatial distance between two people using sensory feedback (vibration, light, sound, color). Key rings, conference tapes (lanyards), smart textiles, intelligent badges, jewellery or similar are conceivable here.

Our inquiry as part of the industrymeetsmakers.at initiative is aimed at innovative inventors, makers, start-ups or companies who want to implement completely new ideas as prototypes or develop existing solutions. We accompany the development scientifically and test the solutions in real conditions with regard to social acceptance and effectiveness. Participation is possible until the end of September 2020.

More information at industrymeetsmakers.com