SkyWater Technology Inc. said last week it has been hired to manufacture temperature-sensing chips that can be used in wearable patches to look for symptoms of coronavirus.
The patches will first be distributed by Upward Health, a medical group based in Providence, R.I.
Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.
For Bloomington-based SkyWater, a contract manufacturer that runs the largest semiconductor plant in Minnesota, the contract shows its ability to quickly respond to a client's innovation and accelerated production goals.
"Given the opportunity to address a critical need that has national interest, we were able to respond with rapid development of this vital temperature sensing solution in a U.S. manufacturing facility," Tom Sonderman, SkyWater's chief executive, said in a statement.
The chip is designed by Linear ASICs Inc., a fabless semiconductor firm based in Tallmadge, Ohio.
The project is backed by Asymmetric Return Capital, an investment firm based in New York.
The financial firm is also investing in wearable pulse oximeters.