Internet of Things (IoT)
Is the network of physical devices, vehicles, home appliances, and other items embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and connectivity which enables these things to connect, collect and exchange data
IoT involves extending Internet connectivity beyond standard devices, such as desktops, laptops, smartphones and tablets, to any range of traditionally dumb or non-internet-enabled physical devices and everyday objects. Embedded with technology, these devices can communicate and interact over the Internet, and they can be remotely monitored and controlled.
Medical and Healthcare
The Internet of Medical Things (also called the internet of health things) is an application of the IoT for medical and health related purposes, data collection and analysis for research, and monitoring This ‘Smart Healthcare’ as it can also be called, led to the creation of a digitized healthcare system, connecting available medical resources and healthcare services.
IoT devices can be used to enable remote health monitoring and emergency notification systems. These health monitoring devices can range from blood pressure and heart rate monitors to advanced devices capable of monitoring specialized implants, such as pacemakers, Fitbit electronic wristbands, or advanced hearing aids.
Some hospitals have begun implementing “smart beds” that can detect when they are occupied and when a patient is attempting to get up. It can also adjust itself to ensure appropriate pressure and support is applied to the patient without the manual interaction of nurses.
The use of mobile devices to support medical follow-up led to the creation of ‘m-health’, used “to analyze, capture, transmit and store health statistics from multiple resources, including sensors and other biomedical acquisition systems”
Specialized sensors can also be equipped within living spaces to monitor the health and general well-being of senior citizens, while also ensuring that proper treatment is being administered and assisting people regain lost mobility via therapy as well.
These sensors create a network of intelligent sensors that are able to collect, process, transfer and analyse valuable information in different environments, such as connecting in-home monitoring devices to hospital-based systems. Other consumer devices to encourage healthy living, such as connected scales or wearable heart monitors, are also a possibility with the IoT. End-to-end health monitoring IoT platforms are also available for antenatal and chronic patients, helping one manage health vitals and recurring medication requirements.
Healthcare services are costlier than ever, global population is aging and the number of chronic diseases are on a rise.
What we are approaching is a world where basic healthcare would become out of reach to most people, a large section of society would go unproductive owing to old age and people would be more prone to chronic disease.
IOT – MD (Internet of Things – Medical Devices)
With the increasing use of sensors by medical devices, remote and continuous monitoring of a patient’s health is becoming possible. This network of sensors, actuators and other mobile communication devices, referred to as the Internet of Things for Medical Devices (IoT-MD), is poised to revolutionize the functioning of the healthcare industry.
Health and wellness is one of the most promising application areas of IoT technology. Remote health management, managing lifestyle-related diseases and conditions, fitness programs, care at home, chronic diseases and care for the elderly are some of the important use cases. Other use cases include improving a patient’s compliance to treatment and medication in hospitals,
clinics and other care facilities. Medical devices such as personal home-use diagnostic devices or low-end diagnostic and imaging devices that are used by mobile health workers are one of the key technology components
Pharma Industry
The process of making and distributing drugs in the heavily regulated pharma industry has remained largely unchanged for decades.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is disrupting old models and creating innovation that will benefit manufacturers and patients alike such as from detecting problems on the production line to monitoring conditions along the supply chain to improving patient outcomes, new technology is transforming the way drugs are manufactured, delivered, and consumed
Pharma companies already collect huge amounts of data, but it’s stuck in silos and legacy software. “Over 70 percent of the data in manufacturing is never touched,” when the data is moved onto a modern platform, combined with sensor information, and analyzed in the cloud, it gives managers visibility across the plant. They can quickly spot bottlenecks and identify equipment that is over- or underused, making changes to improve efficiency.
After leaving the factory, drugs frequently travel on a long and perilous journey to reach pharmacies and patients. By ship, plane, and truck, packages move through a vast array of weather conditions and altitudes, while the drugs must remain within a narrow band of temperature, pressure, and humidity settings.
While transporting drugs, most companies use devices to log the temperature. Once a shipment arrives at its destination, the box is opened and the recipient reads the device to learn whether the correct temperature was maintained throughout the journey. If not, the drugs must be discarded. IoT devices can solve these issues by providing real-time data to manufacturers every step of the way.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming the pharmaceutical industry at a rapid pace, with the potential to enhance almost all processes of the pharmaceutical industry ranging from clinical trials, drug disclosure, manufacturing, and supply chain to remote patient monitoring.
IoT will revolutionize the way pharmaceutical organization will operate and do business. IoT software and services can help pharmaceutical organizations to digitize and connect critical actions, increase efficiencies, compliance, and persuade product quality that will benefit organizations to achieve a faster time to value.