Our recent research revealed that the life sciences industry is already capitalising on this opportunity, with 63% of organisations already having connected health products on the market or in development. Biopharma companies, in particular, have witnessed a sixfold increase in connected health offerings since 2021. By 2028, these solutions are expected to contribute 22% of total industry revenue.

As the adoption of connected health surges, pharma, medtech and medical device firms alike all face critical challenges related to data management and scalability. Rather than see these as potential problems, companies should instead capitalise on these as opportunities. To make the most of the potential for connected health, business leaders need to have a clear vision and a uniform strategy for adopting and scaling these technologies across their organisations. This approach will empower them to spearhead the necessary innovations to create novel services and products and maintain a competitive edge.

The benefits of mhealth

Biopharma companies are investing in various connected health technologies, including remote patient monitoring apps that use data from wearables and sensors to collect real-time health data. Approximately one in five organisations have already commercialised mobile apps (for patients to capture and track symptoms at home) and smart-medication adherence tools and apps – or currently have such products undergoing regulatory review.

However, one of the biggest areas of growth is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). According to our data, almost half of biopharma organisations (46%) leverage technologies such as AI and machine learning to analyse data from their connected health solutions. The integration of generative AI technologies holds immense promise, enhancing patient support, personalised care, and operational efficiency. Understanding AI’s potential and integrating it effectively are critical success factors in realising the potential of connected health to create more patient-focused products and services and accelerate scientific discovery and innovation.

Creating a data management strategy

To be able to make the most of these opportunities, companies will need to address some key challenges around data privacy and security concerns posed by mhealth applications, and increased regulatory pressures.

Life sciences is one of the most highly regulated industries, but only 46% of industry players feel prepared for regulatory compliance; 49% for data protection regulations; and 55% for regulations related to quality control measures. While regulation is seen as a significant challenge by many organisations, getting compliance right presents a huge opportunity for ensuring sustainable innovation, improved security, and a long-term competitive advantage.

This, coupled with the fact that connected health generates vast amounts of data from patient records to wearables, means life sciences companies must invest in robust data management infrastructure. This includes secure storage, data analytics, encryption and access controls that can help safeguard patient privacy and ensure compliance with industry regulations.

Developing a robust data strategy that extends to the mobile platform and an effective governance framework is critical for successful connected health implementation. To ensure responsible innovation in mhealth, organisations should embed security guardrails in the design phase of mhealth applications and should carry out regular security testing to identify vulnerabilities throughout the app’s lifecycle. This would require adequate training for app development teams to ensure security is top of mind.

Additionally, clear ownership, accountability, and risk management are essential components of effective governance. As part of this, organisations must align their digital initiatives with business goals, ensuring that investments drive growth and enhance patient outcomes. To achieve this, the industry  must allocate resources strategically, balancing short-term financial constraints with long-term growth objectives.

Blending connected health with commercial activity

Our data revealed that more than half of biopharma and MedTech organisations lack the data capabilities essential to building a connected health portfolio. Many such companies have dozens of individual connected health offerings in development, at different levels of completion. Quite often these efforts are conducted in isolation, making it harder to share knowledge and optimise costs and resources. To help streamline connected health innovation, businesses need to develop a strategic portfolio united by an underlying business goal.

This would require integrating connected health solutions into existing systems through careful planning. One key area that can help maximise the success of connected health initiatives is the clever use of data to assess the long-term business potential of new offers.  To do this,  organisations must assess the compatibility, scalability, and interoperability of their data solutions. Scalability, in particular, is crucial as connected health adoption grows. Cloud-based platforms and edge computing enable efficient data storage and retrieval, while providing more flexibility to accommodate for changing business needs. By incorporating their connected health capabilities into broader business activities, life sciences companies can ensure their new solutions will be able to successfully launch and thrive on the market.

Developing a connected health ecosystem

Connected health, including mhealth, represents the next stage of evolution in healthcare. Critically, it necessitates the seamless integration of various intricate solutions and processes. Achieving this blend is crucial for success. It is clear companies want to concentrate on their innovations, so they should partner with organisations with deep domain knowledge to oversee the consolidation of both internal and external services, technologies, and strategies, allowing them to focus on what they do best.

Unlocking growth and ongoing innovation with cooperation, flexibility, and a dedication to patient-focused product design and technology will be vital for life sciences businesses. Those who adopt and integrate mhealth innovations into their operations will flourish and distinguish themselves in a competitive market. By confronting the challenges head-on and adopting industry best practices, these organisations can foster growth, elevate patient care, and be at the forefront of shaping the healthcare landscape of tomorrow.

By Rob Pears, UK Head of Life Sciences, Manufacturing and Automotive at Capgemini

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Connected devices are already reshaping the industry by offering unprecedented opportunities for healthcare professionals to monitor, diagnose, and treat patients remotely. The vast array of possibilities hints at a future where healthcare is seamlessly integrated with technology. Amid this era of healthcare innovation, however, a crucial concern emerges that warrants our attention.

The promise of connected health comes with the necessity of securing medical devices, safeguarding patients, and ensuring the integrity of healthcare technology. Organizations recognize the importance of building trust and resilience between patients and healthcare providers. Hence, to bridge that gap and ensure top notch quality, companies must identify security solutions while emphasizing accessibility and patient-centric care.

The security imperative

Connected medical devices, such as wearable fitness trackers and implantable medical devices, are a transformative healthcare innovation. Envision a future where doctors can remotely adjust pacemaker settings or where individuals with chronic conditions can benefit from real-time vitals monitoring. Not only can this revolutionize patient experiences, but it can extensively enhance healthcare outcomes and make it easier than ever for patients to receive treatment.

Despite the benefits, the security of medical devices takes centre stage and becomes a roadblock as it introduces new gateways for cyberattacks and data breaches. About 50% of older patients currently aren’t using online portals for privacy and security reasons, specifically regarding the storage and use of data collected in patient portals. Cybersecurity incidents with modern connected devices are also becoming increasingly frequent and trust remains top of mind for both patients and organizations. 45% of biopharma companies with more than $20 billion in revenue cite security vulnerabilities as a top challenge they face in development.

Beyond safeguarding sensitive patient information, the crux of the matter lies in preserving patient well-being. The healthcare industry must adopt a paradigm shift where security becomes an integral part of a device’s DNA. Currently, healthcare providers face challenges to retrofit legacy devices with connected technology and introducing purpose-built medical devices. Either way, security for devices must not be an afterthought, and each stage should adhere to the security framework established by regulatory standards.

Harmonizing innovation and regulation

The healthcare sector places exceptional emphasis on regulatory compliance. Connected medical devices are also often part of larger healthcare networks and must exist within a comprehensive regulatory framework. Insecure devices can serve as entry points for cybercriminals to infiltrate the broader network, risking the exposure of sensitive medical information that poses risks to patient safety, privacy breaches, data manipulation, and more. It is the organizations’ responsibility to build trust and resilience among patients and healthcare providers if they are to implement new technologies in their services.

In the US, FDA’s Pre-Market Approval (PMA) process is spearheading the security initiative, requiring medical device manufacturers to adhere to rigorous security criteria before launching their products in the market. This primary stage establishes the foundation for sustained vigilance, with continuous monitoring of devices after release for updates, compliance, and potential recalls. The European Union’s impending Cyber Resilience Act also highlights the industry’s point of view towards high-level risk assessments and security diligence for connected devices.

This also demands greater international collaboration and robust standards for addressing shared data and cybersecurity challenges across sectors. International cooperation among medical device regulators, exemplified by the International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF) highlights the collective dedication to addressing cybersecurity challenges in interconnected environments.

Elevating expertise and collaboration to address unique security challenges

Addressing the unique security challenges in the medical device industry requires specialized expertise and the cybersecurity sector’s commitment to tackle multifaceted device security concerns. One study found that over 200 million healthcare records were lost, exposed or stolen over the past decade in the US alone. However, the cybersecurity industry faces a shortage of professionals with the essential skill sets, and there is a need to bridge the expertise gap between industries in times like this.

But, by elevating expertise and cross-industry collaboration, we know it can be done. Take telehealth care as one example where the onset of the COVID pandemic accelerated the openness to and use of digital technologies in healthcare. And more importantly, cybersecurity rapidly became an essential pillar to adoption strategies.

In recent months, we’ve closely collaborated with medical device manufacturers, addressing security for products ranging from air purifiers to MRI scanners and colposcopy devices. For example, in collaboration with a global medical device firm, we’ve seen the development of a comprehensive security framework for a connected insulin pump, illustrating how partnership and expertise are crucial for driving innovation in the healthcare industry.

Security, as an integral part of connected health innovations, remains top priority for developers and healthcare organizations. The path forged by connected health devices holds the promise of a brighter and more secure future for healthcare providers, doctors, and patients, but preserving this transformation is a shared duty across sectors to ensure a well-rounded and robust healthcare environment that fosters patient wellbeing.

About the author

Geert van der Linden is Global Head of Cybersecurity Service Line and Aarthi Krishna is Global Head of Intelligent Industry Security at Capgemini Cloud Infrastructure Services

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By harnessing the power of IoT and automation, alongside the use of low power sensory devices and powerful network connectivity, this method for monitoring the water outlet and sentinel temperatures within the pipes of water systems can be streamlined, offering benefits for health and safety, compliance, and the bottom line. Gareth Mitchell, UK Partner Manager, Heliot, and Richard Braid, Managing Director, Cistermiser explain.

The Legionella Problem

Legionella bacteria is found in both freshwater environments and man-made water systems, and can become a health risk in the latter when it is allowed to spread. This most often occurs when water remains stagnant and reaches temperatures that are conducive to Legionella growth. By inhaling water droplets from these contaminated sources, people can develop Legionnaires’ disease, which results in similar symptoms to a lung infection.

In the UK and the EU, Legionella outbreaks are not uncommon, occurring at a rate of around 1.9 cases per 100,000 people in the EU in 2020, for example. These outbreaks can have severe consequences, both in terms of public health and in terms of business compliance. Although specific statistics may vary from year to year, they consistently underscore the importance of effective Legionella management. For instance, just consider the recent backlash off the back of the recent news about the Bibby Stockholm barge and the health and safety crisis that occurred.

Additionally, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the UK provides crucial guidance for Legionella monitoring to be adhered to. This guidance emphasises the importance of proactive management to prevent outbreaks and maintain public safety. Compliance and reporting according to HSE regulations is vital, and failure to do so can result in significant legal and financial consequences.

Reinventing the Monitoring Process

For many organisations, the current process for Legionella risk management relies on labour intensive processes and could be enhanced and streamlined. Monthly readings are typically taken at sentinel points within water systems, which is both resource-intensive and costly to many organisations. This is because they often involve using a person to take readings of water systems, using paper-based systems to keep track and record measurements. The challenge with using this paper record-keeping and manual approach introduces the chance of human error creeping into taking and recording readings.

Furthermore, and importantly, relying solely on monthly readings increases the risk of missing Legionella outbreaks that occur between readings. All of this is exacerbated by the fact that readings are often taken by non specialist staff, rather than experienced, highly trained industry professionals. For example, this kind of job can often be passed down to an office manager or other kind of support staff within an organisation who may have other duties to execute.

An automated IoT solution, on the other hand, provides real-time monitoring through sensory devices connected to water pipes. These devices ensure continuous surveillance of the temperature of the water inside pipes throughout a building, eliminating the potential for missed outbreaks in between readings. The data collected by these readings is then transmitted and stored in the cloud for management teams to assess and draw insights from.

Once the time comes to submit relevant readings to the HSE, in compliance with the HSG274 regulation, a logbook can be generated quickly by this kind of technology, collating the information in a compliant reporting document, demonstrating the real-time insights that traditional methods cannot match.

The Role of Technology: IoT, Connectivity, and Operational Efficiency

IoT technology, powered by sensors and connectivity, is at the heart of automated Legionella detection solutions. These sensors can, for example, continuously monitor parameters such as water temperature, flow rates, and chlorine levels. Dashboards and alerts generated by these automated solutions are invaluable for compliance with HSE legislation. Facilities managers and those responsible for Legionella monitoring within buildings can access real-time data and respond swiftly to deviations from safe conditions, such as a drop in temperature below safe levels at sentinel points in the building. This way, Legionella risk can be more effectively managed – not to mention the reporting capabilities that help produce an HSE compliant report.

Within this IoT set up, Sigfox connectivity plays a pivotal role in the IoT-driven transformation that supports and automates Legionella risk management. Sigfox’s Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technology enables the efficient transmission of data in real time, through the use of sensory devices connected directly to water systems. This network connectivity and capability is crucial for the rapid detection and response required in Legionella prevention.

Ultimately, this new approach to Legionella detection, involving IoT, sensors and the Sigfox network connectivity involves fitting sensors directly to sentinel points in the building. This is helping to change and enhance the current Legionella risk management business process – and is enabling subsequent related labour and transport costs to be reduced. For instance, unlike traditional methods that require contractors to physically travel to locations for readings, IoT solutions offer remote monitoring – meaning that staff can be deployed to other operationally important tasks within businesses. This operational efficiency not only saves time and money but also aligns with environmental sustainability goals by saving a significant amount of water from being wasted from each manual reading too.

The Importance of IoT Device Design and Connectivity

Typical IoT devices used in this scenario are designed with practicality in mind. They are compact and easy to install onto existing pipework, making them suitable for a wide range of water systems. Importantly, these devices are optimised for LPWAN connectivity, ensuring that they don’t drain battery power quickly when compared with more power intensive networks. Typically, these devices have a lifespan of 3-5 years, providing reliable, long-term Legionella monitoring.

In comparison, cellular-based solutions, while generally available, are relatively more costly and potentially unsuitable for this application due to the location of sentinel points in buildings and lack of connectivity. Sigfox’s LPWAN connectivity is a cost-effective and reliable alternative approach that aligns perfectly with the requirements of Legionella monitoring, enabling effective transmission of data in hard to reach locations, such as basements, where these pipes are often found.

Conclusion

The reinvention of Legionella risk management through IoT and automation is not only solving a pressing problem, but also setting the stage for more efficient and responsive monitoring in various scenarios. Sigfox’s role in providing IoT device connectivity here is enabling this transformation, and it cannot be overstated. Beyond Legionella and the water management industry, the Sigfox network can be applied to a wide range of scenarios too, ushering in a new era of connectivity, efficiency, and safety. As technology continues to evolve, the IoT-driven approach to Legionella management will likely become more standardised, ensuring the safety and well-being of communities worldwide.

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With that in mind, following are five important considerations for manufacturers to support connected health acceleration:

1. Address Security Vulnerabilities

According to one study, 53% of connected medical devices contain critical vulnerabilities that threaten both patient privacy and patient safety. Healthcare institutions are aware of their presence in hackers’ crosshairs, but often overlook upstream supply chain weaknesses when it comes to bolstering device security. These flaws are typically hidden deep inside the protocol stacks on embedded systems from third-party manufacturers. As such, they are often undetected in security scans and subsequently make their way into devices in production—enabling hackers to bypass on-board security controls and crash, deadlock, or freeze a device.

To combat these threats, connected health device manufacturers must implement a comprehensive testing mechanism called protocol fuzzing. The process injects various errors into a communication exchange to confuse the entity at the other end of a connection and enable teams to identify protocol-level vulnerabilities. It is also a best practice to integrate protocol stress testing into the overall cybersecurity validation strategy to prevent device hacks on an ongoing basis and ensure that patient privacy and safety are protected as connected health innovations are introduced.

2. Ensure a Positive User Experience

Addressing user experience concerns is another critical step for manufacturers in supporting ongoing innovation in connected health. This can be challenging from a testing perspective, as there are typically many different users for a given device or application. Hiring numerous testers to manually test and validate performance is a costly, time-intensive endeavour that fails to account for the different user demographics that will be interacting with the technology daily. Often these users aren’t trained medical personnel but the patients themselves, meaning that the user profiles span a range of ages, backgrounds, and degrees of technical savvy. Also, users often expect healthcare applications to run correctly on a variety of physical platforms and operating systems. Just think of the many varieties in desktop and laptop computers, tablets, phones, and even smart watches as well as the different operating systems that support them.

For these reasons, a better approach is to use AI-driven test automation to evaluate the user experience. Software-based solutions can find more paths through complex applications and test all possible user journeys. In addition, they can deliver results significantly faster than traditional testing and automatically focus more attention on testing areas where defects are prevalent, ensuring manufacturers deliver an effective, safe, and efficacious device to all user segments on time.

3. Select the Right Battery

While their specifications may say otherwise, not all batteries are the same and picking the wrong one can curtail a device’s lifespan and overall capabilities. To make sure you’re using the right battery, use emulation software to create a profile of actual batteries. These profiles can then be imported and used in tests without any involvement from the physical counterparts. Teams can measure and record battery conditions as the charge is depleted, better understand battery behaviour, and use these insights to determine which battery is best for the device at hand.

4. Ensure Signal Integrity Even with Increased Data Processing

Increased data processing in connected devices can present signal integrity challenges, and these are exacerbated as new health innovations are rolled out. Crosstalk from adjacent traces, boards running at lower voltage levels, and more on-board processing are just a few factors that interfere with the quality of electrical signals. Because the efficacy of smart health devices is heavily reliant on signal integrity, it is important that manufacturers overcome any issues. A good first step is using software emulation tools to identify and eliminate any issues before fabricating the board, saving time and money. Another best practice is documenting learnings in the quality management system to reduce risk and get to market faster with future designs.

5. Reduce Measurement Errors to Make Better Decisions

Finally, it is critical that manufacturers address drift to ensure they are continuously able to make consistent, accurate and repeatable measurements. Regular and proper verification is essential for making sure instruments are accurate, that they are operating within specifications, and that they have traceability backed by certification. In addition, regular calibration also enables teams to reduce work, avoid delays, and ensure that connected health innovations deliver maximum value to patients.

Connecting to the Needs of Tomorrow

We can only expect connected medical devices to grow more complex in the years ahead and, along with them, their path to the marketplace. That is why it is imperative manufacturers recognise security, usability, battery life and other connected healthcare considerations must be addressed during the design phase. Organisations that re-engineer their workflows, as needed, will be best positioned to develop safe, efficacious, and intuitive technologies that have market staying power.

About the Author

Brad Jolly received his B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Michigan. He has been with Keysight Technologies (previously Hewlett-Packard and Agilent Technologies) for more than 25 years, including roles in software R&D, UI design, learning products, application engineering, product support, training, product marketing, and product management.

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Much of the issue stems from the age of the devices being used, with many of them five, ten or fifteen years old. They were never designed for the cybersecurity challenges we face today. On top of the age of these IoMT devices, the manufacturers haven’t done much to protect their devices, or provide timely cybersecurity updates to known vulnerabilities.

Many systems are never patched during their entire lifetime, so the result is that often these devices offer an easy target for cyber criminals looking to establish a foothold from which to launch ransomware and extract regulated data for monetary gain.

Today, IoMT accounts for over 75% of endpoints connected to healthcare networks. They include Xray, CT and PET scanners, patient telemetry systems and infusion pumps, a growing number of robotic devices used for neurosurgery, pharmacy, and laboratory work, as well as automated building management systems that control lifts, fire alarms, and HVAC systems, that maintain positive and negative air pressure rooms for pandemic disease control.

What does poor IoMT cybersecurity and a lack of digital hygiene in healthcare look like?

It has been reported by the Interim CIO at NHSX that 21 million items of malicious activity get blocked every month within the NHS. As the largest employer in the world, the NHS will always be a target for cybercrime due to the sheer value of its medical data. At present, 30% of the world’s data is generated through the healthcare sector, and this is due to increase to 36% by 2025. To better prepare our healthcare systems in 2023, what we need is to address cybersecurity throughout each IoMT device’s lifecycle in a preventative and proactive way, as well as incorporate an approach that puts cybersecurity measures and digital hygiene at the centre of each organisation’s infrastructure.

A lack of a strong authentication process

Most technology requires a password, but IoMT doesn’t typically require authentication for use. A heart monitor for example, is put on a patient and simply starts recording their cardiac activity. A medical professional can then access the data, and in many cases, does not require a password to see that data. This is something that can be easily remedied by the IT department of a clinic or hospital, but it’s important to remember that when it comes to authorisation, relying on weak passwords is almost as bad as not having a password at all. With 82% of breaches involving a human element, and with poor credentials being the primary means by which a hacker can infiltrate an organisation’s data, training healthcare staff to keep passwords safe and secure, as well as avoid using simple, easy to guess passwords is paramount to ensuring good cyber hygiene in the healthcare sector. A medical IT department should set up strong authentication protocols, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) to help avoid these breaches.

The ability to access IoMT devices from an external device

Connected medical devices are designed to be accessed via other devices, such as smartphones for example. This subsequently offers an attacker another direct route into the medical device itself, from where they could further infiltrate healthcare data. Once again, strong authentication processes can help mitigate this, but so can strong security around the devices themselves. We tend to think of cyberattacks as something that happens only online, but it’s possible, for example, that an attacker might steal a laptop from an unsecured location in a hospital and get access to medical data that way. Ensure your cybersecurity protocols means only authorized personnel can access computers and the other devices with IoMT access.

Buggy or unpatched software

Cybercriminals rely on the delayed patching of software. Bad actors know the glitches in your software, and they also know when security patches are being pushed out. Make sure cybersecurity patches are promptly installed so that criminals don’t exploit the IoMT weaknesses they read about in the release notes of the latest updates. Additionally, many IoT medical devices are never patched during their entire lifespan, meaning critical updates are delayed as they need to be thoroughly tested to make sure they do not interfere with the function of the device. The fact that a medical device can easily be twice the age of a PC reveals a weak spot that cyber criminals are waiting act on.

Unsecured network access

When your IoMT devices are on the same network as the rest of your infrastructure, you open yourself up to cybersecurity problems and attacks on not just your IoMT devices, but the entire system. Prevent this by segmenting your network and using one segment of the network only for the IoMT. That way, if an attack on your devices happens, it stays in one area of your network.

Lost devices

The problem with devices is that they can be lost. It’s easy to put down a phone down, or take off a smartwatch, not to be able to find it again. This is the same for some IoMT devices. Either they can be stolen from a medical facility, or a person with a medical device may take them offsite and lose them. It’s important to put processes in place to ensure that devices are difficult to lose, and to also have a plan in place for when devices go missing. Strong authentication, tracking, and other similar methods are a way to make sure lost devices don’t become gateways into your health organization’s IT infrastructure.

Despite the widespread prevalence of these crucial systems within our healthcare settings, most providers have a hard time accurately understanding what, exactly, is connected to their network, let alone what risks each of these endpoints represents to protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of healthcare data. Nor do many of them have an effective strategy to address rising risks, including a protocol of preventative measures to mitigate these risks in the first instance. A lack of vendor approved patches, and limited understanding of what specifically is running on medical devices calls for greater need for Software Bill of Materials (SBoM) within healthcare.

Software bill of materials (SBOMs) enable healthcare organisations to manage medical device security risks while promoting transparency between manufacturers and providers. With threats mounting, breaches at a record high and a sheer lack of cybersecurity and digital hygiene among healthcare settings, what good looks like within our healthcare sector lies heavily on the level of cybersecurity and digital hygiene not only built into an organisation’s infrastructure, but how it is upheld and maintained by the staff within it.

Written by Phil Howe, Chief Technology Officer at Core to Cloud  

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The vast amount of data, especially location data, generated by the hyperconnected human, vehicles, machines and cities is just a tiny part of the hyperconnected model. How do we combine this data into something that is usable, flexible and fast enough to meet this rapid development and change in our society? How do we improve the speed of that data across the networks? How do we gain the trust of those allowing us to use their data and allow us to make the change to becoming ‘hyperconnected’?  And, as a society, how do we ensure that vital hyperconnected emergency and health services gain priority over ubiquitous delivery and on demand travel apps?

A centralised, capture all, share all data model is not going to work. A local model could, however, unlock the potential for rapid delivery of vital local services. If the potential is to be realised, it is now essential for stakeholders actively engage in a debate about our hyperconnected future, insists Matthew Napleton, Chief Commercial Officer, Zizo. 

Monetising a Connected Future

Businesses have been harnessing the power of technology to connect individuals for decades. But the speed with which hyperconnectivity is now being imagined, delivered and monetised raises both inspiring possibilities and very significant challenges – cultural, political and technical.

Elon Musk’s suspected vision for Twitter, notably the creation of X – the everything app – is a prime example of the commercial drive towards ‘super apps’ already popular across Asia that provide everything from taxis to restaurants to payments. Retailers are actively considering the power of hyperconnected humans to deliver direct to an individual based on their location data. With the rise in drones and robots, the goal is no longer to optimise the last mile of delivery, but the last metre. 

Adding location data to AI will transform the way people interact not only with suppliers but machines. Rather than enjoying the benefit of using an app to remotely turn on the heating while travelling home, hyperconnectivity will ensure the system anticipates your needs based on behavioural patterns and turn on the heating automatically as you approach your destination. The hyperconnected vision is that every human and machine interaction and touch point will be captured, collected and monetised. 

Data Misuse

But this is not just location data. Or purchase data. It is everything data. The speed with which wearable health tech has been adopted – and the way that personal health data is now routinely monetised – highlights both the power of preventative care and the very different attitudes globally to data usage and privacy.  It is one thing to use a fitness tracker to capture work-out zones and calorie usage; quite another to use FDA approved watches that can detect falls, arrhythmias and record electrocardiograms. 

The latter information, if linked to a healthcare provider, can empower a rapid shift towards proactive care that can improve patient outcomes. It is also predicated, however, on the sale of highly sensitive patient information to third parties, information that will increasingly be used to inform health insurance premiums, just as black box technology is already used to determine car insurance costs. 

But how many individuals recognise the difference between the Fitbit that is helping their ‘couch to 5k’ efforts and a medical device that is capturing the most personal of health data? How many understand that this information is being continuously uploaded to a central location, moving across thousands of miles of connected infrastructure? The implications for data privacy and the costs associated with resource consumption need to be urgently considered. Why, for example, are smart cities capturing individual location data, which is then moved to a central location, when the entire smart city model needs only anonymised, aggregated information stored locally?

Infrastructure Shortfall

Businesses globally are becoming hugely excited about the new revenue opportunities presented by the hyperconnected human. Many are side-lining, even dismissing data privacy and security concerns. They cannot, however, ignore the fundamental lack of infrastructure and its inability to support the planned scale of hyperconnected activity. The current infrastructure may support 1,000 different apps and the associated data, but it certainly can’t support a ten, hundred or thousand-fold increase which is where this current hyperconnected vision is heading.

Hyperconnectivity has the power to provide citizens with vital access to services – including healthcare. It is the foundation for smart city projects. But with the current centralised ‘catch all, store all’ model, a pizza delivery order will have the same priority as a request for emergency services – and if the system is overwhelmed, both will fail to reach their destination. It is simply not possible to continue with this attitude that every business can collect every single piece of information, including location, about its customers / equipment/ delivery vehicles and use the resultant knowledge to provide the best service. From complexity to lack of bandwidth and privacy concerns the foundation isn’t in place – nor will it be any time soon. 

If hyperconnected solutions are to realise anything close to their potential, there are essential changes that must occur. Critically, the centralised communication model is not sustainable – in either sense of the word – and must be replaced by a distributed approach. Data can and should be held locally, for example. It is also essential to break the domination of the major telcos: hyperconnectivity cannot be delivered while these behemoths control every aspect of the communications infrastructure. It is crucial to embrace a distributed model that enables the shift from centralised points to edge location by focusing on the information content rather than network capability.  And before anyone gets carried away by the power of 6G or the next generation of LoraWAN or SigFox. Let’s get 5G working first.

Local Data for Local Services

The distributed approach reinforces the value of local data for local services. Whether it is anonymised information to support optimisation within a smart city, the delivery of food locally (such as the Milton Keynes Starship Robots) or a short, three-way data flow between delivery robot, individual and local edge server, a distributed approach is scalable, practical and deliverable. It works for health data, for example, because the vast majority of health outcomes are treated within the local health service. There is no need for every piece of data to collected and transmitted to a central location. But today, where is the local ecosystem of information that allows the end user to have that data wherever they are, whenever they need it, with their own personal choice?

A focus on local services should also reinforce the need to consider priorities. The hyperconnected world unleashes an extraordinary array of opportunities – but just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Yes, it is amazing that in a hyperconnected world a drone could deliver a sandwich to someone on the golf course who can’t wait until they get back to the club house.  But when capacity is limited – should that really be an option? Maybe. But these are discussions that need to be aired. 

Right now, the world is moving blindly towards hyperconnectivity, as businesses trial ideas and tap into new revenue streams. But success will bring the entire connected world down: it is simply not possible that all of these services can be made available to every individual, all of the time. If thinking doesn’t change fast, the hyperconnected model could fail badly – and that would be an enormous shame given the potential to deliver real benefit to individuals across the world. 

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The cluster brings together corporate, SME, academic, health and care providers to enable them to co-design digital solutions to some of Scotland’s biggest health and care challenges. The project aims to develop personalised and preventative solutions and services fit for the 21st century, helping the Scottish population to live longer and healthier lives, while creating new jobs for the economy.

Moira Mackenzie, Deputy Chief Executive, Digital Health & Care Institute stated: “Digital solutions and services offer new opportunities to positively disrupt traditional models of care by empowering our citizens through more personalised and preventative approaches.  Our partnership with Tunstall Healthcare is the start of an exciting collaboration, working with a broad range of experts in industry, academia and the health and care sector to support healthy ageing”.

Gavin Bashar, UK Managing Director, Tunstall Healthcare commented: “We’re delighted to be working with the Digital Health & Care Institute to play a part in the further development of digital solutions to transform care in Scotland. As demand continues to rise, its vital that new ways of working are found in order to deliver care that is integrated, proactive, safe and efficient. Technology enables us to target care where and when it’s needed most and reduce pressure on health and social work by empowering people to take a more active role in managing their own health.”

You can find out more and see a short introductory animation at http://dhi-scotland.com/healthy-ageing-innovation-cluster

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IVY, THE SMART OVULATION TRACKER

The Ivy Smart Ovulation Tracker helps women understand their menstrual cycle. It comprises a device which measures hormones in urine to determine the time of optimum fertility in a woman’s menstrual cycle. It collects data from the analysis which is saved to the accompanying app to present a historic and graphical record, which helps predict the most fertile time in a monthly cycle.

The device houses an LED light and contains a removable test strip. The test period starts from 5 to 12 days into the menstrual cycle, during which time the test strip is placed in urine (either for 3 seconds in direct flow or 15 seconds if captured in a container) to measure  estrogen levels and LH concentration. The test paper is analysed using photoelectric recognition and the results uploaded to the cell phone using Bluetooth. After 5 minutes, the LED shows “Low Fertility”, “High Fertility” or “Peak Fertility”. “Peak Fertility” days are the ones where the chances of becoming pregnant are highest, helping the woman make the conceive-or-avoid decisions which are right for her.

Upgrades to the Ivy Smart Ovulation Tracker due March 2019 will include measurement of four further hormones: HCG, for early pregnancy detection, FSH (an indicator of ovary health), PdG and E2G to provide even more accuracy in tracking and prediction.

The Ivy Smart Ovulation Tracker compliments Bongmi’s existing Femometer device, a thermometer which promotes the Fertility Awareness Method by measuring Basal Body Temperature (BBT), claiming an effectiveness of 99%.

BONBABY, THE SMART GROWTH TRACKER

The BonBaby Smart Growth Tracker helps understand and manage the nutrition of growing children. It comprises scales with a flexible, extensible tape ruler connected to a hand-held measurement device. The child stands on the scales and the measurement device is placed on top of the head, recording the child’s height and weight in one easy movement. An LED on the device immediately displays the child’s height and synchronizes with the mobile app to record and chart the information which is compared to the Child Growth Standards to indicate if weight and height are appropriate for the child’s age and gender. The app then provides tailored recommendations.

The World Health Organization established the “Child Growth Standards” in 2006 to help improve child malnutrition, reduce obesity, encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of mothers by showing the effects of smoking. The Child Growth Standards show that across large populations, regionally and globally, average growth is remarkably similar and they prove that differences in children’s growth to age five are more influenced by nutrition, feeding practices, environment and healthcare than by genetics or ethnicity. With these new standards, parents, doctors, policymakers and child advocates will know when the nutrition and healthcare needs of children are not being met. Undernutrition, overweight and obesity, and other growth-related conditions can then be detected and addressed at an early stage.

Xiaodu Lou, Bongmi CEO said: “From our inception as a company, we have been dedicated to helping kids, couples and families with young children to better manage their health and wellbeing using the power of the cell phones they hold in their hand every day.  We can capture health data so accurately and compare it to world standards to be able to see immediately if we need to make corrections and adjustments in our lifestyle, our food or sexual activity to help us make better life decisions”

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“Our collaboration with InterSystems brings together the information that matters—connecting pharmaceutical companies, providers, patients, and payers on the Phillips-Medisize Connected Health Platform through a unified healthcare medication record and powerful analytics that span the care continuum,” said Matt Jennings, CEO and President, Phillips-Medisize.

An estimated 50 percent of medications for chronic diseases are not taken as prescribed.  A 2017 Annals of Internal Medicine review reports that an estimated 125,000 deaths and 10 percent of U.S. hospitalizations are linked to patient non-adherence to prescribed medications, which results in over $290 billion dollars to U.S. healthcare annually.

Phillips-Medisize was the first company to develop an FDA-approved combination Connected Medicine solution to support patients and develop a deeper understanding of how they take their medication. They have applied this experience to the development of their 3^rd Generation Platform, built on InterSystems HealthShare, for the pharmaceutical delivery environment. The platform will enable pharmaceutical companies to connect medication and diagnostic information across their drugs and therapy areas on a single, unified platform at an exceptional scale.

Data collected by connected devices using the Phillips-Medisize Connected Health Platform can be shared securely to inform the patient and their healthcare provider when medications have been administered and can be combined with data from diagnostic devices and biometric sensors to generate further insights. Pharmaceutical companies working with Phillips-Medisize will receive an exclusive, secure private cloud.

“Poor medication adherence currently yields unnecessary human suffering and significantly reduced patient health around the world.  The collaboration between InterSystems and Phillips-Medisize aims to change that paradigm with a highly scalable platform to securely connect and aggregate data from rare diseases to many millions of patients across global geographies; encouraging patients in the most effective use of prescribed medications to improve outcomes,” adds Don Woodlock, head of the HealthShare business unit at InterSystems.

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