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www.us-tech.com
August, 2016
The Internet of Things Remakes EMS Needs T
By Vanessa Gentile, Marketing Manager, Asteelflash Group
he Internet of Things (IoT) is allowing vehi- cles, devices and even buildings to be embed- ded with electronics, sensors and network
connections that allow inanimate objects to ex- change data. The physical world is fast becoming an information system, linked by both hardwired and wireless networks. In the medical industry the IoT is changing
the way doctors treat patients — from wearables that transmit blood pressure information to blood sugar test kits that send the results directly to the patient’s doctor. One start-up, AdhereTech, has found a way to
ensure that patients take their medication correct- ly. The company has developed a high-tech pill bot- tle which reminds patients to take their prescrip- tion medication on time. The bottle sends phone calls and text messages to the patient’s phone, and also has its own chimes and lights. The smart pill bottle, with its built-in sen-
sors, is smart enough to detect when a pill has been removed from the container. This technology has a lot of potential — preventing overdoses and even adjusting dosages based on exercise and food intake.
The physical world is fast
becoming an information system, linked by both hardwired and
wireless networks. Teaming up with an expert EMS company can make the difference.
Another medtech (e-Health) related startup,
Mirametrix, started out with a technology that was not medical at all. The company’s eye gaze technology, the S2 Eye Tracker, has been used in medical research to assess how children with autism react in various social situations. While
An engineer holds a PLCC component during production.
trial revolution, the medical market is changing and evolving — which can make us all healthier. Recently, fitness wearables have become very
trendy, with companies such as Fitbit and Jaw- Bone doing very well in the market. These wrist- bands count steps, heart rate and some even track weight and body fat percentage. But, what if there were a way to improve training in real-time? Sen- soria has developed exactly this, in a sock. The smart sock has a built-in sensor that
helps runners perfect their technique, resulting in more efficient training sessions. Foot placement and cadence can all be adjusted in real-time as the sensors in the sock relay information to the app, which speaks to the user during a run. Users can then track their progress through the app, as well as on a laptop or tablet. The Sensoria team has al- so developed other wearable connected devices
perhaps not originally intended for this purpose, the data that can be collected with the S2 Eye Tracker can help doctors and researchers better di- agnose and treat patients with autism. With inno- vative products created during this newest indus-
(IoT clothing), such as sports bras and tops that monitor heart rate. Fitness wearables have such potential, and it is evident that these technologies will have other applications in the medical world as well, for example, blood pressure monitoring without clunky hardware as well as posture sens- ing for those with chronic back pain. Other start- ups have focused on helping the IoT world to work with other companies that have IoT products.
The Challenges Each revolution has had its own set of chal-
lenges. During the industrial revolution, some of the challenges included low worker safety, pollu- tion, deafening sound, overpopulation of cities, low-quality sanitation systems, disease, and high child labor rates. While the Internet of Things does not share many of the same humanitarian chal- lenges, its difficulties are no more easily solved. Adoption of the IoT is going to take some
time. It will require organizations to revamp the way they are currently operating. Organizational design will need to be altered, and industry-specif- ic systems will need to be implemented. Precision is highly important as we begin to
let “things” operate on their own. For instance, manufacturing machines and equipment could fail if their timing is only slightly off, and, if not cali- brated correctly, jeopardize the business itself. Security is also a huge concern surrounding
the IoT. How will companies ensure that their da- ta is protected and safe? With everything in the “cloud” and things frequently communicating with each other and with the enterprise, it is quite dif- ficult to make sure all of these connections are se- cure. Without this, damage to the company’s net- work and confidential information is inevitable. Furthermore, and even though this does not
seem to be a huge concern for the industrial B2B IoT, the lines can sometimes be blurred when it
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