Possibility of New Technology Innovations through the Experience of COVID-19 December 1, 2023 So Morikawa, Ph.D. Assistant Professor International Project Laboratory Department of Civil Engineering morikawa@civil.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp International Project Group, 3 UTokyo Civil (since 2004) Background 52 ◯Introduction of New Technologies in post COVID-19 ◯Today’s case: Wastewater epidemiology
During the COVID-19 pandemic, various new
technologies have been introduced as a measure against it. The pandemic has led to a rapid expansion of these new technologies.
e.g. Online payment e.g. Remote Work
(通販通信) (ZDNET JAPAN) 7 Introducing new technologies 83 New technologies face various challenges ➢ The relationships among multiple stakeholders ➢ Flexibility towards new technologies or system ➢ Resources for preparation and implementation
Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)
Moreover
The health issues are a matter of life and death https://businesscoll
ective.com/how- the-leapfrog-effect- The speed is crucial when introducing new may-affect-your- technologies for health business/index.html
It is necessary to choose a strategy of introducing new technologies, considering natures of the technologies 9 United Nations (2018) World Economic and Social Survey: Frontier Technologies for Sustainable Development Stakeholders in Wastewater Surveillance System 13 A monitoring method to measure the amount of SARS-CoV-2 in an area by analyzing wastewater
Sampling Data Collection Data Publication
Analysis
・Various stakeholders involve
・Each municipality has unique features Varied wastewater surveillance strategies
What are better strategies for introducing new technologies for health since the pademic? Objectives and Methods 144 What are better strategies for introducing new technologies for health since the pademic?
◯Research Objectives ➢ Analyzing various states’ WSS and identifying the key factors and challenges in conducting wastewater surveillance
➢ Identifying strategies for the implementation of new technologies for health considering regional features
◯Method Case Review Interview Review on various WSS in the U.S. Dr. Noriko Endo (Kyoto Univ.) • Oct. 16th, 2023 @U-Tokyo Comperative Analysis Identifing the key factors and challenges in conducting wastewater surveillance Causal analysis on WSS and backgrounds from the viewpoint of stakeholders through interviews
Implications Discussion on effective WSS for advanced and developing countries in terms of stakeholders 15 16 Analyzing Causal Relationship of challenges in the U.S. 176 Step1: Case Analysis Step2: Causal Relationship of Challenges Step3: A list of identified challenges The case in D.C. (dcist, 2022) Insufficient funds Insufficient Insufficient No data research funds publication institutions Limited Infrastructure Delayed Delayed No public project measures awareness Insufficient Low government research institution awareness of health
Low awareness of health at the top
Adding cases from No development
other states in related field
Lack of organizational structure
Creating hypothetical Lack of key person
causal relationship diagram of challenges in How are these challenges the U.S. being addressed? Causal Realtionship of Challenges in the U.S. 185 Step1: Case Analysis Step2: Causal Relationship of Challenges Step3: A list of identified challenges The case in D.C. Insufficient Insufficient No data Insufficient funds research funds publication institutions
Limited Delayed project Delayed measures No public Infrastructure awareness
Low government awareness of Insufficient health research institution
Low awareness of Adding cases from health at the top other states No development in related field
Hypothetical causal Lack of
relationship diagram of organizational challenges in conducting cohesion wastewater surveillance How are these challenges system in the U.S. being addressed? Ohio’s approach: the Government-led Wastewater Surveillance 196 ◯Overview of Case in Ohio Hypothesis ODH(Department of Health), Ohio EPA(Environmental Protection Agency) How were the challenges overcome? Ohio WRC(Water Resources Center) (+Researchers Network) Insufficient research institution The rapidity of actions • Ohio WRC (From OSU) has Researchers Network 2020/3 (Research on wastewater surveillance begins in some part of the U.S.) Low awareness of health at the top 2020/6 Project Initiation 2020/7 Start of Data Publication • Ohio Governor’s COVID-19 measures were excellent
Lack of organizational cohesion
Centralized management by ODH • Frequent meetings were held with local government as well
Insufficient funds Ohio EPA ODH WRC Leading the Project • Cost savings through ODH handling all processes
Collecting Data Data Publication Sample Collecting Data Analysis Test this hypothesis through interviews 2022/7~ History of Biobot 2011 ◯Overview of Biobot’s case Biobot is the first and largest company conducting 2017 Founded as a startup originating from MIT wastewater surveillance in the U.S. and collects data across 700 locations across all states 2020/3 (Research on wastewater surveillance begins in some part of the U.S.) County-level data in the U.S.
2020/3 Started wastewater surveillance for COVID-19
They conducted nationwide sampling for free to collect data at this time
2022/4 CDC selected Biobot to conduct wastewater analysis
for NWSS (Biobot)
→It became possible to conduct nationwide analysis Data on other infection disease
(Biobot) (Biobot) Biobot’s Approach: National Expansion by Startup in the B2G Market 217 ◯Biobot’s Approach to solve challenges How were these challenges overcome? Not funded by government or investor
• Identified the usefulness of conducting WS
• Biobot knew how to handle the epidemiological data based on experience of opioid
Low awareness
• The co-founders’ proactive engagement with top
agencies like CDC and HHS Labor Shortage • Assistance from MIT researchers and students
◯The current challenges
:Background :Biobot’s characteristics Google-backed major corporation(Verily) signed (National) a 5-year contract with CDC (Oct. 2023~) :Biobot’s approach :Challenges that Biobot solved (International) Biobot is trying to expand overseas, but... International Expansion of Wastewater Surveillance 228 ◯Biobot’s international expansion The Biobot’s challenges when international expansion
Biobot has been aiming for international expansion • It’s necessary to establish a strong presence in the market in from the beginning the U.S. • Local company are given priority in the local market Objectives of International Expansion • Bussiness expansion • The low market potential in developing countries • Acquisition of global data ownership Due to these factors, e.g. Pilot project in Guayaquil (Jun. 2020~) International expansion is not in a significant progress
Request Biobot World Bank On the other hand, some research institutions are Initiated this project involved in various international projects With local government, company and academia Cities with participating projects e.g. Emory Universtiy Kolkata, India The capacity building has been successful Assist in providing techniques and Accra, Ghana However capacity building Dhaka, Bangladesh Manila, Philippines Biobot couldn’t achieve its objectives 23 Discussion 1. What kind of challenges does your country have when implementing new technologies of wastewater surveillance? • Think about stages: sampling, analysis, data integration, policy utilization, publication 2. What kind of resources and interventions are necessary to overcome those challenges? 3. What kind of opportunities/strength does your country have when implementing new technologies of wastewater surveillance? 4. Who and what kind of partnership can help to overcome the challenges? 24 Expected output Country A Country B Country C Challenges (sampling, analysis, data integration, utilization, publication) Necessary resources and interventions Opportunities and strength of each country Who should lead, necessary partnership
• Compare your country of origin in groups, and discuss shared features and unique aspects. • Today, we assume the implementation would be in urban areas.
