AI assistants enhancing patient care
13/05/2024
Chatbots are already integrated into many areas of our daily lives. Could what is already being used for customer inquiries for insurance companies and the like also work in a medical context?
Jun Chen Lab/UCLA
UCLA engineers develop a new wearable device for voice restoration
02/04/2024
UCLA bioengineers have introduced an AI-assisted wearable device, a significant stride in speech technology for individuals with voice disorders. This adhesive neck patch could change how people with pathological vocal cord conditions or post-laryngeal cancer surgeries communicate, offering a new beacon of hope for those who find speaking a challenge.
Boris Hegger / ICRC
Optimizing humanitarian logistics enhancing medical supply distribution
22/02/2024
Amid global conflicts, accessing medical supplies is vital. The ICRC, dedicated to aiding millions affected, grapples with complex distribution challenges. Teaming up with ETH Zurich, they've devised new logistics solutions for efficient and timely supply delivery to crisis zones.
wirestock
Collective intelligence can reduce medical misdiagnoses
30/10/2023
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, the Institute for Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (ISTC), and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology developed a collective intelligence approach to increase the accuracy of medical diagnoses.
Division of Medical Design Innovations, TMDU
Can ChatGPT diagnose a condition?
18/10/2023
A research group led by Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) finds that when common orthopedic symptoms are given, ChatGPT’s diagnosis and recommendations are inconsistent.
paegagz
Algorithm to predict disease relapses
29/09/2023
A University of Texas at Arlington research team has received a $450,000 grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences to use statistical machine learning to review patient data and better predict which patients will need additional treatments.
European Society for Emergency Medicine
ChatGPT suggests most likely diagnoses in the emergency medicine department
25/09/2023
The artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT performed as well as a trained doctor in suggesting likely diagnoses for patients being assessed in emergency medicine departments.
ThamKC
AI-powered triage platform could aid future viral outbreak response
12/09/2023
A team of researchers from Yale University and other institutions globally has developed an innovative patient triage platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that the researchers say is capable of predicting patient disease severity and length of hospitalization during a viral outbreak.
Fraunhofer AISEC
Future-proof security architecture for healthcare communications
06/09/2023
Germany’s telematics infrastructure (TI) aims to allow healthcare professionals to exchange patient data securely, rapidly and from anywhere. The platform for healthcare applications will soon see a new security architecture. The aim is to make it easier to exchange data between all parties involved as well as to facilitate access to specialist services.
duallogic
AI will soon be able to write doctor’s letters
08/08/2023
Around 150 million doctor’s letters are written every year in Germany. This takes precious time which could be used elsewhere. The “doctor’s letter generator”, which is currently being developed by scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS, could provide a solution for creating the document in a fraction of the time.
Inside Creative House/Shutterstock
Skin cancer diagnosis: reinforcement learning for improved performance of AI
02/08/2023
An international research team led by Harald Kittler of MedUni Vienna has now explored a learning method in which greater accuracy in AI results can be achieved by incorporating human decision-making criteria.
Hannezo Group | ISTA
Cell dynamics: how cells talk to each other
26/07/2023
Like us, cells communicate. Well, in their own special way. Using waves as their common language, cells tell one another where and when to move.
Fraunhofer IGD
Digital patient model: decision support for physicians and cost-saver
10/07/2023
New perspectives for the healthcare sector: The support system for decision-making developed as part of the MED²ICIN project should increase the treatment success rate. It supports physicians in their decision-making process by pooling all of the information on an individual patient and comparing this to that of cohorts made up of similar individuals.
EKFZ/ A. Stübner
Chatbots like ChatGPT: approval as medical devices
06/07/2023
The new Nature Medicine paper by Prof. Stephen Gilbert, et. al. addresses one of the most pressing international issues of our time: How to regulate Large Language Models (LLMs) in general and specifically in health.
Eurac Research/Annelie Bortolotti
First aid: drones make a difference in emergencies
07/06/2023
The Eurac Research-led team simulated 24 missions at different locations in the Bletterbach Gorge. Locations were chosen where, according to reports from the South Tyrolean Mountain Rescue, accidents have actually occurred in the past decade.
microgen
Computer-assisted procedure classifies Ataxia-related speech disturbances
25/04/2023
Researchers at DZNE and the University Hospital Bonn, together with the Berlin-based company PeakProfiling GmbH, have developed a computer-assisted method that recognizes the severity of speech disturbances resulting from ataxia, a brain disease, with great accuracy.
micens
Treating patients 'in hospital' – even from far away
17/04/2023
Research is revealing that some patients living far away from specialist health service provision choose not to use these services because of the long distances they have to travel.
Oana Graur
Patent: high-tech glasses replace guide dog
07/04/2023
The technology of “the glasses that replace the guide dog” has just been patented in the USA. The European Union patent will follow, and it could well be introduced to the market during the course of next year.
Fraunhofer IZM
Providing care when it is needed – Radar system recognizes and tracks people and objects
27/03/2023
The researchers of Fraunhofer IZM have integrated a miniature radar system into an LED ceiling light that can track and recognize movement patterns and locate people or objects in a room.
McMaster University
Redesigned medical alarms can better alert staff, improve patient experience
24/02/2023
Changing the tune of hospital medical devices could improve public health, according to researchers at McMaster University and Vanderbilt University.
Kaunas University of Technology (KTU)
Altered speech may be the first sign of Parkinson’s disease
31/01/2023
Lithuanian researcher from Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), Rytis Maskeliūnas, together with colleagues from the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU), tried to identify early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease using voice data.
AnnaStills
Pregnancy: Digital care is here
16/01/2023
The demands of pregnancy are not easy on the expectant mother’s body. Although most pregnancies occur without complications, some women may experience health conditions or problems. Modern technologies are available to provide maternity care and are great resources to prevent problems during this important time.
Mostphotos
Digital therapies can alleviate depressive symptoms
05/01/2023
With a shortage of therapists, help with mental health problems is being sought from digital interventions, where elements of psychological treatment are offered via computer programs or mobile applications. According to a study, smart devices can help identify people with symptoms of depression and anxiety.
What intensive care patients really need – Communication via eye-tracking systems
07/04/2022
Patients at the intensive care unit are not always able to communicate with their environment, even if they are conscious. The BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil in Bochum, Germany, now aims to enable them to communicate using an eye-tracking system. Learn in our video interview how this system works, how it was established and what obstacles still need to be overcome.
PantherMedia/Andrey Popov
Telemedicine: Safe diagnostics in the pandemic - and beyond
01/04/2022
Who could have foreseen how the Corona pandemic would transform our lives? The work world has been transformed by mobile working and digital tools. Face-to-face meetings still matter, but they are not quite as important as they used to be. And telemedicine is changing how physicians interact with patients.
Mass accidents – Measuring vital signs from the air with "FALKE"
09/02/2022
The flight system "FALKE" (German for "falcon") could improve care during MCI events (mass casualty incidents). Using different camera systems and AI, it could be able to determine nature and amount of the different injuries. It could also measure the vital signs of injured persons to help the control center gain a better overview of the situation.
PantherMedia/undrey
Digital HR management – Help against skilled worker shortage
01/02/2022
Qualified staff is the most valuable resource in the healthcare sector. But this resource is threatened because it is under extreme strain – not only since the Corona pandemic but for many years already. Healthcare facilities could experience a dramatic aggravation of the skilled worker shortage in the coming years because of this.
PantherMedia/nialowwa
Digital recruiting – A generational issue
01/02/2022
Overworked, underpaid and – from the onset of the coronavirus pandemic – underappreciated. It is no wonder nobody wants to work in hospitals anymore. Today’s hospitals must get creative to attract skilled healthcare professionals. Facilities can use digital technologies to appeal to and hire future talent. Unfortunately, many human resources departments have not yet embraced this approach.
PantherMedia/ndanko (YAYMicro)
Digital strategies to mitigate hospital staff shortages
01/02/2022
Whether it pertains to medical careers or healthcare occupations: Hospitals are struggling with a shortage of qualified professionals. The COVID-19 pandemic is putting a major strain on healthcare systems and the public has taken notice. Yet even without pandemic surges, hospital jobs have an image problem. At the same time, employee demands have changed.
PantherMedia / Sorapop Udomsri
Healthcare: "The digital transformation has only just begun"
09/11/2021
The coronavirus pandemic has forced us to rethink the healthcare system: It gave way to contactless services over the phone or the internet. Why would we not continue to take advantage of this once the crisis will be over? The MEDICA ECON FORUM by TK at MEDICA 2021 will address this subject.
New Work in Healthcare
02/11/2021
Working remotely, flexible work arrangements, and digital tools for work support – all these aspects are part of the New Work concept. It's a term that most of us are familiar with, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. MEDICA 2021 will highlight how these concepts can be implemented in healthcare on Thursday, November 18, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the MEDICA HEALTH IT FORUM.
PantherMedia/phovoir (YAYMicro)
Digital transitional care management - with CareNext
22/10/2021
Some patients need continued inpatient or outpatient care after they have been officially discharged from the hospital after treatment. Finding an acceptable discharge placement to ensure continuity of care is a very time-consuming process for hospitals. A team of young entrepreneurs has created a solution to this problem with its “CareNext” platform, which it will showcase at MEDICA 2021.
Staff communication via app – Rescue Center uses smart way of information
22/07/2021
Staying in touch with your staff always, everywhere: The Malteser Hilfsdienst (a relief organization in the healthcare sector) in Mainz, Germany, use an app to keep their staff up to date. Learn more about the advantages of the app, especially for shift duty and the healthcare sector, how the app IK-up! works and how employees can contribute to topics in our video interview.
PantherMedia/DragosCondreaW
Population health management: networking versus data silos
22/06/2021
Data silos still prevail in the German health care system: providers store and collect patient data for their own purposes, making it not available to the entire organization. Many still mainly share this data in analog form. Comprehensive, integrated delivery networks would make many practices easier.
DiGA: Learning Self-Management Skills with Evidence-Based Information
03/05/2021
Professor Anja Mehnert-Theuerkauf was involved in the development of a digital health application (DiGA) for cancer patients. The Mika app provides information and accompanies patients through treatment with a personalized support program that caters to all types of cancer. In this MEDICA-tradefair.com interview, she explains the opportunities and the limits of digital health applications.
Surgical planning with immersive mixed reality
01/04/2021
The job of surgeons starts long before they step into the operating room. They must use two-dimensional MRI or CT scans to plan the surgical steps on a three-dimensional patient, relying on their experience, skill, and spatial sense. Using mixed reality (MR) to view human anatomical models allows for better visualization and navigation.
mHealth for asthma: Help me manage it myself!
11/01/2021
According to the WHO, around 600 million people worldwide suffer from chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma. Key in the fight against these diseases is therapy adherence, but many sufferers often find this difficult. The result is increased hospitalization, which ultimately comes at the expense of the healthcare system. Smart and mobile technologies could change that.
Asthma: Self-management thanks to apps and wearables
11/01/2021
Today, managing one's own chronic disease is hardly possible without digital helpers – not least because of the corona pandemic. People with asthma also benefit from apps and wearables. They help patients connect better with doctors and better understand their own disease. Our Topic of the Month looks at why this is so important and what the digital services can do.
mHealth for cardiology – CardioSecur helps from a distance
20/11/2020
Bringing the technology to the patient and not the other way around – that is the idea behind CardioSecur. The physician can connect the mobile ECG system to his smartphone and thus have it with him always and everywhere. We asked MD and Founder Felix Brand how this works, to what extent patients also benefit from it and why the technology is particularly useful in corona times.
ConnectedCare: hospital roadmap to becoming a Smart Hospital
01/10/2020
Scheduling, bed management, and menu ordering – today’s hospitals take advantage of a variety of digital services. In the worst-case scenario, each service requires a different interface to the central information system, marking a major barrier that holds back digitization. With ConnectedCare, BEWATEC shows there is a better way.
PantherMedia/Kzenon
Big Data: early warning system for the ICU
03/08/2020
Patient monitoring systems in the ICU sound up to 700 alarms on average per patient per day, which boils down to one alarm every two minutes. An excessive number of them are false alarms. This generates vast amounts of data, which can make it difficult for doctors and nurses to identify the most critical alarms to manage. It also has a negative effect on the treatment of intensive care patients.
Molecular Imaging: fast and reliable stroke detection
02/06/2020
After a stroke, a patient’s life depends on getting acute care at a hospital. Vital monitoring systems ensure safe and effective treatment. An innovative tomographic imaging system is designed to help prevent the patient’s risky journey to radiology and to enable bedside monitoring of cerebral blood flow.
by UVentions
Hygiene: Smart protection against pathogens like the coronavirus
23/03/2020
Germs such as bacteria, viruses or pathogenic fungi can spread from one person to another through direct contact when we shake hands or touch objects. People touch door handles and push elevator buttons in public places and constantly move in and out of spaces. Regular manual high-level disinfection is practically impossible. UVentions GmbH has found an intelligent solution for this problem.
Cardiology: digital solutions support those coping with chronic illness
03/02/2020
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year. Acute events such as heart attacks and strokes stand out in this setting. Chronic heart diseases can also be a debilitating condition for many patients. If cardiology uses digital methods and tools, it can reach more affected people.
Digital cardiology: analyzing data beat by beat
03/02/2020
Chronic cardiovascular diseases are a growing burden worldwide. Most of them are diseases of civilization that spread, where lifestyle is improving or where it is good already. But the healthcare systems are not growing equally to keep up with this development. We can make up for this by making cardiological care smarter with eHealth and mHealth.
APRICOT-project: implant "help(s) patients heal themselves"
01/01/2020
Today, people tend to live longer, while an increasing number of patients suffer from osteoarthritis. Even younger generations are now at a higher risk of getting osteoarthritis due to the frequent use of mobile devices. The EU research project APRICOT aims to develop a novel type of implant for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the hands – helping patients heal themselves.
Estera Kluczenko
Robotics: an avatar to end loneliness
18/12/2019
A child who has to miss many days of school due to long-term illness? An older adult living alone or in a nursing home? The Norwegian startup No Isolation believes that nobody should have to experience social isolation, no matter how old you are. The company uses technology to help combat loneliness.
AAL Living Lab: research, education and raising awareness
02/12/2019
Smart home systems are a perfect example of how technology can make our daily lives easier. The fact that they can use a tablet to adjust lighting and blinds in every room benefits older adults in more ways than one. These types of technical systems are a part of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) and create a safe living environment for older persons.
Smart care: safety and support thanks to AAL
02/12/2019
Average life expectancy keeps increasing, while birth rates are declining – at least when it comes to most industrial nations. The coming decades will see a decreasing number of gainfully employed people versus more and more senior citizens and people in need of care. It's a trend that already pushes healthcare to the brink. That's why we desperately need new concepts. One of them is AAL.
Ambient Assisted Living: sensors for seniors
02/12/2019
Our ageing society is confronted with fewer and fewer workers. One of the many consequences is a shortage of skilled nursing staff. Ambient Assisted Living should solve this problem. By equipping the living environment of elderly people or people in need of care with (technical) assistance systems, they are to be given more self-determination and security. The nursing staff also benefits.
Wearables: more freedom with the smart care patch
02/12/2019
Too many people in need of care and not enough health care professionals – we all know the problem. For years, research is underway to find digital solutions for AAL to support the growing number of older & sick adults. These new technologies aim to both alleviate caregiver burden and enhance everyday life of people in need of care with a minimum level of constraint whilst promoting independence.
Telemedicine: easy breathing with AI for respiratory tract
01/10/2019
Pneumonia, COPD or cystic fibrosis – people with such lung diseases have to consult their doctor regularly. Little children have to undergo certain measurements by the doctor, too. In order to save people`s need to visit a doctor, telemedicine offers many ways to do examinations at home.
Medical IoT: fully realizing the potential of medical device data
01/10/2019
The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) plays an important role in monitoring patients in hospitals or performing measurements at home. Here medical devices are connected via cloud, where all patient measurement data are collected and analyzed. In the course of digitalization, the relevance of clouds in the medical sector is constantly increasing.
MEDICA START-UP PARK: "For those, who want to experience the startup-spirit"
01/10/2019
When the halls of MEDICA are open to the world to showcase medical innovations, one joint exhibition booth is guaranteed to attract special attention - the MEDICA START-UP PARK. The startups that present their advances in this setting are interesting to visitors and investors, yet long-time exhibitors and big businesses can also benefit from building relationships with these young companies.
MEDICA START-UP PARK 2019: Experience tomorrow's innovations today
01/10/2019
The medical market is booming - medical ideas and visions for the future are more in demand than ever. Especially at MEDICA START-UP PARK 2019 young founders want to present their product innovations. Develop business contacts, meet investors and experience an international environment in just one place. Discover in our Topic of the Month what makes MEDICA START-UP PARK unique.
AI in imaging: how machines manage our Big Data
02/09/2019
In modern medicine, especially in the field of imaging, huge amounts of data are produced – so much that radiologists can hardly keep up with diagnosing the images. Artificial Intelligence could be the solution to this problem. But how exactly can it help in this task? How can man and machine work together? And what else will be possible in the future with the support of intelligent systems?
Deep Learning Image Reconstruction – what AI looks like in clinical routine
02/09/2019
Artificial intelligence is no longer a dream of the future in medicine. Many studies and initial application examples show that it sometimes achieves better results than human physicians. At Jena University Hospital, the work with AI is already lived practice. It is the first institution in the world to use algorithms in radiological routine to reconstruct CT images.
Man vs. machine – the benefits of AI in imaging
02/09/2019
Radiology is a field that produces large volumes of data, which can no longer be managed without the help of intelligent systems. This is especially true when it comes to the interpretation of medical images. While this takes physicians years of training and experience, several hours of work and the highest level of concentration, AI only requires a few seconds to accomplish the same task.
AI in radiology: reliable partner for diagnosing CT images
02/09/2019
More patients, more examinations, more CT images – in radiology there is too much work for too few physicians. CT scans are evaluated in the shortest possible time, which leads to anomalies being overlooked. Artificial intelligence, on the other hand, works with constant speed and performance, which is why radiological routine increasingly relies on its support.
German Medical Award
German Medical Award 2019 celebrates the future of (patient) care
22/08/2019
The German Medical Award will take place on November 18, 2019, as part of the MEDICA trade fair in Düsseldorf. The ceremony emphasizes the commitment to excellence in cutting-edge care for patients. Doctors, clinical centers and companies in the medical and healthcare industry can demonstrate their achievements in medicine and management in hopes of receiving the coveted award.
Rehab with a robot – robot-assisted therapy in neurology
03/06/2019
It takes consistent repetitions if rehab patients want to relearn skills after surviving a stroke. This requires extreme effort. The industrial sector uses robots to perform repetitive tasks or handle jobs that require strength. What has been a fixture in factories for decades is now also making its way into rehabilitation facilities.
Walking is an issue of mind over matter – how robots assist rehabilitation
03/06/2019
Humans are living longer than ever but still want to continue to live independently as they age. Meanwhile, our motor and cognitive abilities decline as we age, sometimes as the effects of a stroke. The number of people in need of long-term care is growing at breakneck speed. At the same time, fewer and fewer young people choose stressful careers as caregivers.
Robotics – rehab with motors and sensors
03/06/2019
They work with power, precision and tirelessly. This makes robots an ideal instrument for rehabilitation. In gait or motor training, movement sequences must be repeated thousands of times so that they can be learnt anew. What tires the patient and costs the therapist's time can easily be managed by robot-assisted systems. Learn more about the possibilities of robotics in rehabilitation.
Of exoskeletons and service robots – the future of rehabilitation
03/06/2019
For most people, enjoying a good quality of life means having the ability to move freely, safely and independently. Intensive and costly rehabilitation is needed if this is no longer an option after a stroke for example. We are introducing some projects that deliver innovative robotic solutions.
panthermedia.net/Wavebreakmedia Ltd.
Sports medicine: preventing injuries with wearable sensors
08/02/2019
The consequences of sports injuries can be very serious and sideline athletes for a long time. Although it often seems like these injuries happen in a split second, they can also be the result of overuse and loads that usually weaken the athlete over time. This stress can be detected and reduced with wearable technology and injuries prevented before they happen.
Marc Eisele, Universitätsklinikum Dresden
Better living thanks to telemedicine – "TelePark"- project targets patients with Parkinson’s disease
08/01/2019
Parkinson's disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that primarily affects movement of patients and makes their everyday lives very challenging. It also makes regular doctor appointments and treatment sessions necessary. "TelePark" - a project that collects different movement-related parameters using sensors and apps is designed to improve the quality of life for Parkinson’s patients.
DiaDigital: making sense of diabetes apps
02/01/2019
While they are very useful, health apps have one major drawback: anyone can release and distribute them unchecked. Only some apps require medical device certification. So how can users spot a great, safe and useful app? When it comes to diabetes apps, the “DiaDigital” seal of distinction is the answer.
Diabetes digital – smart support for diabetics
02/01/2019
Monitoring blood sugar levels, counting carbohydrates, calculating insulin doses, and keeping accurate records - diabetes is a data-intensive disease that demands a lot of self-discipline and attention from the patients. Some concerns are patients neglecting to keep a food journal, "fudged" test results or calculation errors. Digital solutions help patients easily manage the large volumes of data.