Internet of Things (IoT) — the ability to connect any device to the Internet through an on and off switch — is a major component of telemedicine, which allows healthcare professionals to communicate with people long distance and provide consultation, diagnosis and treatment of various medical conditions. IOT Telemedicine, which has been gaining in popularity, is now expanding globally.
A Brief Primer on the Internet of Things
Internet of Things is a concept that can apply to things like washing machines, coffee makers, headphones, even parts of machines. The research and advisory firm Gartner estimates that by 2020, more than 26 billion devices will be connected to IoT. Some analysts say the figure could go as high as 100 billion. In only a short time, our society will be a network of connected “things.” And these “things” include the robots and other devices that are connected to the Internet and can therefore consult with physicians and patients thousands of miles away.
Internet of Things in Healthcare
The concept is new to the medical field, and is quickly gaining traction. A 2003 study by the World Health Organization revealed that 50 percent of medicines aren’t taken as directed. So Proteus Digital Health decided to join the growing roster of companies involved in IoT-linked healthcare, aiming to reduce the number of non-compliant individuals by adding ingestible sensors to medicines and medical devices.
Roche recently came out with a Bluetooth-powered self-testing monitor that tracks patients receiving treatment or are at high risk for such coagulant-related conditions as stroke, heart attack or pulmonary embolism to check for signs of clotting, which should reduce the overall number of office visits. And the cloud research firm Medidata has partnered up with the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to introduce a tracking system to monitor people being treated for multiple myeloma.
Contact lens are also being affected by this new technology, where non-invasive sensors are placed inside contacts, which doctors hope will help people suffering from presbyopia. Scientists also believe they will help detect diabetes by testing glucose levels in the tears. Another IoT-connected technology created for diabetics is the Open Artificial Pancreas System (OpenAPS), designed to monitor and equalize a diabetic’s blood glucose level. IoT is also being used to help track and treat such conditions as depression, Parkinson’s and arthritis.
The post Healthcare: IoT in Telemedicine appeared first on STRATECTA.