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How IoT is improving the quality of Healthcare

Posted on by adminn

IoT (Internet of Things) technology is penetrating deeply into everyday human life. Cars, kitchen appliances, and even heart rate monitors connected via the Internet into one network where they exchange data. For example, having received data from the alarm clock in your smartphone, an IoT coffee maker will know when you get up for work and brew coffee at your desired time, down to the minute.

However, one of the most promising areas for the implementation of IoT devices is in healthcare. According to a study, six out of ten global healthcare organizations are already using IoT devices.

There are several positive trends observed due to this:

  • Medical staff are becoming more mobile.
  • The process of collecting, transferring, and analyzing patient data, as well as making a diagnosis, is accelerated.
  • The effectiveness of medical care is increasing.

IoT Devices for Patients

Patient monitoring sensors are the area where IoT comes the most in handy. Being placed in operating theatres, intensive care units, and post-surgery rooms, these devices will monitor the vitals of patients, and in case of dangerous situations, immediately notify doctors.

Such devices will help not only doctors and patients but also their relatives. For example, if a patient is going to have a difficult operation, an online location sensor can be attached to the patient’s body, to which their family can immediately know when the surgery is finished and receive its results.

A special sensor-based inpatient monitoring platform is being used which reads the patient’s vital signs round the clock and allows the medical staff to instantly respond to deterioration. In the future, there are plans to equip patients with such devices in cardiology and intensive care departments.

Another good example is a wearable device, which can predict a forthcoming epileptic seizure.

In many regions, there is still no easily accessible medical care. The transition to telemedicine has become an effective solution for this situation. A patient far away from any clinic or hospital is able to consult with a doctor in real-time and receive the necessary assistance before going to a medical facility.

Medical Equipment With IoT Technology

Monitoring sensors for hospital equipment can significantly improve the quality of medical services. Due to limited budgets, medical facilities can’t afford frequent replacements of necessary equipment. As a result, outdated equipment is in constant need of repairs.

IoT sensors can assess the state of the equipment and inform engineers about defects. This will allow for a quicker response time to breakdowns.

IoT devices can also help in monitoring the condition of the hospital premises. For instance, the sensor will take temperature readings in laboratories, freezers, and wards. If the temperature deviates from the norm, it will be possible to return it to the desired level remotely via Wi-Fi.

When transporting medicines that require a certain temperature, refrigerators with similar sensors can be useful. They will maintain the necessary temperature independently.

The Role of IoT in Medical Facility Management

IoT can also be deployed in solving the administrative and management challenges of the hospital. For instance, with the help of IoT devices, it is possible to keep track of the number of pharmaceuticals, the condition of the equipment, as well as identify the need to purchase replacements.

The Netherlands is already adopting a similar strategy. One hospital has a network that allows its staff to view available equipment and get quick access to patient data. This helps to avoid confusion and reduces the waiting time for medical procedures.

Navigation in huge hospital complexes is a challenge for patients and their families. A special application can help them find the required doctor’s office or ward by creating a route inside the building.

In Conclusion:

The future of IoT is extremely promising. The recent events have only highlighted the potential of harnessing IoT, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for their improved efficiency and the factor of safety they offer in the field of healthcare — even in times of unimaginable crisis as that of COVID-19.

At NeoSOFT, we empower businesses and healthcare by helping them leverage the right IoT technology that suits their requirement and needs. Our experts work end-to-end on solutions that go beyond the realm of problem-solving and strive to provide meaningful value-addition. Contact us to discuss your ideas and we will realise them with an uncompromising promise of efficiency and safety.

Source: https://dzone.com/articles/iot-in-healthcare-how-this-technology-will-improve

Ambient Intelligence Transforming Healthcare Facilities

Posted on by adminn

Ambient Intelligence is set to rise in its scope and potential as machine learning continues advancing and the number of IoT devices and sensors continue increasing.

Ambient Intelligence (AmI) is a new paradigm in information technology that’s rapidly transforming the healthcare industry. What started out as merely a concept – by tech company Philips, and European Commission’s Information Society and Technology Advisory Group (ISTAG) – in the 1990s is, today, an amalgamation of two, primary, disruptive technologies – Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT). It is because of AmI that the world has witnessed impressive development in AI assistants like Siri, robotics, sensors and more. With thoughtful use, this technology is on the crux of disrupting healthcare too.

What is Ambient Intelligence?

Ambient Intelligence refers to the combination of IoT sensors, sensor networks, and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) technologies powered by Pervasive-Ubiquitous Computing, big data and artificial intelligence frameworks. Or in simpler terms, they are physical spaces capable of being sensitive and responsive to the presence of humans. This technology paves the way to a futuristic world where sensors embedded in daily use devices will create an intelligent environment which adapts to its user’s needs and wishes seamlessly.

AmI can be leveraged in a wide range of technologies such as biometrics, affective computing, RFID, Bluetooth low energy, microchip implants, sensors like the thermometer, motion detectors, photo-detectors, proximity sensors, and nano-biometrics. These sensors will gather data, and interpret and analyze it to adjust to or predict user expectations.

Ambient intelligence-powered environments have the following characteristics:

  • Awareness of individuals’ presence
  • Recognition of their identities
  • Awareness of the context (e.g. weather, traffic, news)
  • Recognition of activities
  • Adaptation to the changing needs of every individual

How Will It Help Healthcare?

Early applications of AmI could enable more efficient clinical workflows and improved patient safety in ICUs and operating rooms. It can –

  • Help by recording patient health stats (with patient permission) and update the patient Electronic Medical Record (EMR) to provide a better and more accurate narrative.
  • Aid health care workers (physicians and nurses) in delivering quality care by analyzing patient information like prior treatments, allergic responses of the patient and more.
  • Help the elderly by remotely monitoring their health and enables them to have an independent living, in countries with a higher population of senior citizens. (Through Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) technology.)
  • Enrich overall patient experience, physician satisfaction, and quality of care.

Smart Hospital Rooms

Ambient intelligence can pioneer smart hospital rooms equipped with AI systems that can do a range of things to improve outcomes. The School of Engineering at Stanford University is reportedly exploring how a combination of electronic sensors and artificial intelligence could be installed in hospital rooms and elder care homes to help medical professionals monitor and treat patients more effectively.

It suggests using two types of infrared technologies, i.e. the low-cost active infrared and passive detectors which can be incorporated into the patient environment. The first type of infrared is already being used outside hospital rooms, for instance, to discern whether a person washed their hands before entering and, if not, issue an alert. The second infrared technology, i.e. the passive detectors will help night vision goggles to create thermal images from the infrared rays generated by body heat.

In the hospital setting, a thermal sensor above an ICU bed would enable the governing AI to detect twitching or writhing beneath the sheets, and alert clinical team members to impending health crises without constantly going from room to room. During the research, passive detectors helped the team of researchers avoid relying on high-definition video sensors since capturing video imagery could unnecessarily infringe the privacy of clinicians and patients. Meanwhile, the active infrared helped them in tracking hospital-acquired nosocomial infections. Leveraging such ambient intelligence applications can also help in computer-assisted monitoring of patient mobilization in ICUs, and automating surgical tool counts to prevent objects from being accidentally left in a patient.

Takeaway

Ambient Intelligence is still emerging. Currently, it has already empowered users’ capabilities via the creation of a sensor-based environment which is sensitive, adaptive, and responsive to human needs, habits, gestures, and emotions.

In healthcare, it will help in numerous ways like continuous monitoring, smart hospitals, assisted therapy, etc. Not only that, but Ambient Intelligence is also on the threshold of disrupting businesses and industries like e-commerce, retail and more. With the proliferation of IoT devices, Ambient Intelligence will surge, however, company vendors should be careful about factors like data usage, privacy and overall security.

Source: www.analyticsinsight.net/how-is-ambient-intelligence-transforming-healthcare-facilities/