The internet of things has such huge potential for the healthcare  industry that it even has its own alias: the Internet of Medical Things  (IoMT). Devices and applications in this industry improve healthcare,  reduce strain on medical professionals, and allow patients to be treated  at home or away from hospitals.

Here, we look at 15 examples of IoT-enabled applications that will power the connected healthcare space.

1. QardioCore,  an ECG monitor designed to provide continuous medical grade data. Users  can wear this device within their normal lifestyle: at work, the gym,  or out and about. The data is said to help patients to better monitor  health conditions such as high blood pressure and cholesterol. It also  sends information into health centers that monitor conditions such as  diabetes, heart troubles and weight gain, without the need for physical  visits.

2. Zanthion is  a medical alert system that is worn by a patient as an item of clothing  or jewelry. It feeds into a series of connected sensors which measure  the health and welfare of the wearer. If a patient were to fall out of  bed, or remain motionless for too long a period, an alert is sent to  family or friends who can help.

3. ScreenCloud is being used by  hospitals and healthcare professionals already, with applications that  are thinking far outside the box of traditional digital signage. Take  the organization using video art and digital signage to improve patient welfare in hospitals, with proven effects of lower stress levels and anxiety in patient waiting rooms.

4. Up by Jawbone  is a fitness tracker with a difference. Rather than just counting  calories and steps, it can be used to monitor all aspects of health,  from weight and sleep patterns to activity and diet, to allowing the  user to make better health decisions based on data. Some patient reform  groups are even using it as a way to support those with weight and  health issues from afar or outside of the physical medical center  itself.

5. Wireless sensors such as those from Sensor Metrix  are being used in hospital refrigerators, freezers and laboratories to  ensure that blood samples, medications and other materials are kept at  the proper temperature.

6. NHS test beds  are smart, connected beds being used in the UK’s NHS system that  monitor patients and track data. Combining wearable monitors with other  data sensor sources, they save money and time, allowing elderly patients  and those with long-term health conditions to monitor their progress  and issues more efficiently.

7. Swallowable sensors  are pretty much what they say on the box: a way for patients to avoid  colonoscopies by swallowing a sensor the size of a cod liver oil tablet.  This sensor can diagnose problems surrounding conditions such as  irritable bowel syndrome and colon cancer in place of more invasive  surgeries.

8. Propeller’s Breezhaler device is  a connected sensor that makes the management of asthma or COPD easier.  The sensor attaches to the top of the pump and monitors data each time  it’s used. This allows the user to collect data on triggers and enable  family members and doctors to manage use, all from a mobile app. It is  said to reduce the number of asthma attacks and increase the number of  symptom-free days.

9. Google announced in 2014 that it would be creating a smart,  connected contact lens, supported by Novartis. This lens would have “non-invasive sensors, microchips and other miniaturized electronics”  that are embedded within the contact lens. These can monitor conditions  such as diabetes as well as help to correct sight issues to restore the  eye’s natural autofocus for those who cannot read without glasses.

10. Takeda is testing the use of an Apple Watch  app to help patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). The app will  look for symptoms and will allow tracking of moods outside of  healthcare appointments. 

11. UroSense is  a catheter fitted with a transmitter that can monitor urine output and  core body temperature for patients on catheterization. Smart monitoring  of these two aspects can help spot the signs of infection in their early  stages, therefore creating better treatment plans and prevention. The  device also reports on conditions such as diabetes or prostate cancer  and feeds this back to doctors and nurses, thus helping to manage the  conditions.

12. The Medication Dispensing Service,  along with other smart pill-dispensing devices, are focused on patients  who may find it difficult to manage medication independently. MDS  dispensers pre-fill with the required dosage for a specific day and  provides notifications to patients when it is time to take or refill  medicines. If a dosage is missed, the information can be tracked and fed  back to the patient’s doctor.

13. Systems like AwarePoint  place IoT sensors designed to track every nuance of the caretaking and  caregiving process. This provides location tracking on patients and  medical equipment in what they call “location-as-a-service.” The system  is designed to improve staff and patient satisfaction, streamline asset  management and patient flow.

14. The smart thermometer produced  by Kinsa has three key purposes: to detect patient illness, provide  analysis for better care, and to map human illness through the  collection of data. Smart Ear and Sesame Street versions can already be  found in many homes across the U.S.

15. Chrono Therapeutics  produces medication patches which deliver drugs transdermally (through  the skin) at a steady pace throughout the day. This is said to reduce  symptoms, as drugs are delivered outside of when patients experience the  symptoms and levels are adjusted depending on what is needed at each  delivery. This makes drug delivery more personalized rather than a “one  fits all” approach to healthcare.

These devices, whether for clinical efficiency, home tracking or  health monitoring, all lead to a space where it’s easier to monitor and  manage health conditions. We’re excited to see where they take us next,  where apps, wearables, and smart, connected devices become as normal as  taking a pill would be.

The medical devices and sensor-driven applications that are driving adoption of the internet of things in healthcare, across hospitals and health companies.

The devices and sensors changing medical care forever.

15 IoT Applications in the Connected Healthcare Space

15 IoT Applications in the Connected Healthcare Space

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