Wearable cognitive aids can be new advanced hospitals and health systems that need to improve the medical examination process and achieve cost-effectiveness.
This technology, which combines AI-powered devices with edge computing, can help humans complete tasks with greater efficiency by providing them with virtual instructions and sometimes by connecting them with others can assist them.
For example, surgeons can use this software as part of special glasses that provide preoperative checklists tailored to specific patients. Augmented reality can provide enhanced visualization and easy access to view a patient’s medical history – helping to improve patient safety while reducing the time needed to perform a procedure. certain program.
Deloitte did a recent report on how WCA can change processes and workflows in healthcare and beyond. We asked one of its authors, Apan Tiwari, executive director of Deloitte, some questions about this technology and how health systems should implement it.
Q: Briefly, what is wearable cognitive support and why should healthcare leaders care about it?
ONE. Wearable cognitive assist refers to wearable devices that combine computer vision and edge computing, enabling advanced human interactions to solve complex real-world problems. . What sets WCA devices apart from other wearables is that WCA uses task-specific, AI-powered software to verify work has been completed correctly and, if necessary, can connect with experts. directly to people for support.
There is a lot of potential in the healthcare space for WCA; Select examples include:
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Advanced surgical training. There are emerging technologies currently on the market that can be used for basic surgical training. However, with WCA, the AI-powered, task-specific software can provide real-time feedback to the surgeon – making training much more efficient. The amazing thing about this technology is that you can eliminate geographical barriers by being able to train surgeons all over the world with the latest surgical techniques in this way. It also encourages us to dream of what that level of training access can do to improve healthcare in emerging economies.
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Surgical support. Task-specific software can guide the surgeon during an actual surgery, with the option to dial in with a specialist if the situation calls for it, or as a tool the surgeon can use for surgical planning, with task-specific software on the device providing recommendations/options.
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Smart repair and maintenance. Our article talks about repair and maintenance scenarios, which can also apply to hospital/pharmaceutical equipment.
Q. How do 5G and edge computing work in tandem with WCA technologies?
ONE. WCA devices need to:
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compact (They are wearable)
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powerful (to verify/suggest actions in real time)
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while also providing decent battery life (without overheating).
This balancing act calls for increased on-device memory and compute with a more extensive edge computing infrastructure, all connected via a high-speed, low-latency wireless connection like 5G. .
This will allow WCA devices to integrate real-time capture, image processing, action validation, and action recommendation through AI-powered, task-specific software in one element. compact form factor.
Q. What is the big potential in the coming years for how these tools evolve?
One. Globally, the business wearables market is forecast to grow exponentially over the next decade. WCA devices are a subset of the broader enterprise wearables market and could see a lot of traction in the coming years.
Q. What are some of the challenges that will need to be addressed in this process?
ONE. Standards for WCA implementations do not exist, and you cannot purchase commercially available WCA solutions either.
Wireless plus low latency for indoor use is now ready for prime time, using fixed wireless public 5G or private 5G/Wi-Fi plus on-premises edge. In general, outdoor mobile use cases will require extended 5G coverage from telcos.
Any new technology will introduce new security and privacy vulnerabilities that must be addressed prior to implementation. Similarly, protected information obtained from wearable devices must meet stringent data privacy requirements, especially in the healthcare sector.
Q. What should IT decision makers in hospitals and health systems do to properly leverage the benefits of WCA tools?
ONE. In my opinion, one should start with the statement: What problem are you trying to solve, why is it important, and what is the profit?
Once the above is clear and understood, one should start thinking about the solution, possibly with a WCA component. Most likely the solution will be an ecosystem game and decision makers will need to make the right:
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System integrator(s).
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OEM equipment.
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5G/Wi-Fi network provider.
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On-premises/edge/cloud computing and storage service provider.
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Specialized OEM software, etc.
The selection of these partners will depend on the context based on the problem statement and solution architecture.
Twitter: @MikeMiliardHITN
Email the writer: [email protected]
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS publication.
