No Face-Touch is an application developed by the team of Professor Domenico Prattichizzo at the SIRSLab (Siena Robotics and Systems Lab) of the University of Siena to help people avoid touching their faces.
The project, developed from collaboration between the University of Siena and the Italian Institute of Technology, responds to the current Covid-19 emergency, offering itself as a deterrent against spread of the disease. All that is needed is a smartwatch and small magnets easily purchased online to receive a vibro-sound notification as soon as you put your hand close to your face. A simple solution with a great impact on the safety of people, often exposed to diseases due to carelessness. Fighting similar habits is essential for decreasing the risk of contracting the coronavirus.
No Face-Touch uses the sensors already integrated in the most common smartwatches to measure the surrounding magnetic field and detect the distance at which the magnets are located. By positioning very small magnets on necklaces, earrings and glasses, a safety zone is therefore defined within which the application generates an alert notification. It is an easy solution that is accessible to everyone for paying constant attention to hygiene, and even more useful in public places, where a moment of distraction can allow habit take over.
Other applications: by positioning the magnets appropriately, it is possible to limit any area that is dangerous to approach with your hands. For example, consider some areas of a clean room.