What technology formed the basis of the protocol for contemporary contact tracing apps?
Answer
Bluetooth proximity records exchanged and analyzed locally
The core technology driving the majority of contact tracing applications deployed widely rests upon standards solidified during the global mobilization effort, centered on the use of Bluetooth proximity records. These records capture anonymous, time-stamped interaction data between devices. This methodology contrasts sharply with older, more invasive location-based tracking methods that relied heavily on capturing precise GPS coordinates. The crucial engineering achievement was inventing the standardized protocol for securely exchanging and locally analyzing this Bluetooth data across disparate operating systems like those provided by Apple and Google.

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