AI and wearable technologies in healthcare: Inseparable?

In the present world, people have hardly any time to follow the traditional healthcare path. They are too busy to go to a doctor, do tests, and get treated. As a result, the traditional patient-doctor model has been driven backward. The availability of smart-phones and the recent surge in wearable technologies have changed the healthcare scenario. Now people can monitor different health parameters and share data with the healthcare providers for early intervention of potential medical conditions.

But wearable technologies accumulate a large volume of data that needs to be treated for taking the right decision about the necessary medical care. This is where artificial intelligence (AI) takes an entry. Combining with machine learning (ML) it transforms the large data into clinical predictions for a better and efficient treatment regimen.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning brought out a radical change in the health care industry. Apps with artificial intelligence have made medical care easily accessible, affordable and personalized. These are loaded with a plethora of features that make a cognitive difference in healthcare services. Let’s see how.

What is artificial intelligence?

Artificial intelligence is the biggest event in the field of computer science. After the robots relived humans form physical labor, artificial intelligence is replacing our mental labor. You must have heard about Chess-playing computers and self-driven cars! These do their jobs perfectly well without any human intervention.

AI helps a device to understand the environment and to act accordingly for maximizing the chance of deriving the best outcome. These devices can mimic the cognitive functions of the human mind. They learn from experience and adjust and process new inputs through progressive learning algorithms. Thus, it can perform tasks like humans accurately and without any emotional barrier.

Challenges of artificial intelligence

There is no doubt that artificial intelligence is sure to bring revolutionary changes. But, after all, it is a tool and has its limitations. It gathers information in the form of data and learns from the same. There is no alternative way of incorporating knowledge into artificial intelligence. This means that only accurate data collection can only entail accurate output. Secondly, they are always designed to perform a specific task. You cannot expect the chase-playing computers to drive cars and vice versa!

Artificial intelligence in healthcare

We are now passing through an era where everything around us is getting more and more personalized and intelligent with almost every sunrise. Artificial intelligence is also no exception to this. It is moving things further by enabling various devices to give useful insights into our health and medical condition.

It uses complex algorithms for analyzing large amounts of medical data without any human intervention. It can observe data, recognize patterns, and can develop its logic for making clinical predictions. Subsequently, it helps to make the most informative lifestyle choices for better health.

Wearable technologies and AI reduces cost

Recording medical data earlier was very complex. Now, with the advent of fitness trackers, smart-phones, and smart-watches this became very easy. One has to keep the sensor attached to the body and the rest is done by the gadget itself.

Apple Watch, series 4 is a big step forward in healthcare services. The EKG developed by Apple can record heart signals for diagnosing Arrhythmia or irregular heartbeats. Although this is not as compressive as traditional ECG, it gives instant indications for following up. This saves much time, paperwork, and cost.

Some AI-assisted wearable technologies

In the past, the responsibilities of life and death were vested with the doctors. Now, most of the burden is shared by artificial intelligence.

Healthcare wearable technologies are designed to provide real-time insights into a wide range of health parameters. They deliver this information to the wearer and the medical professional as well. Thus, it entails an improvement in the quality of life in many ways.

These devices mainly work on machine learning that builds analytical models automatically. Some of the devices also use cognitive computing, computer vision, the internet of things, advanced algorithms, etc. The followings are some examples.

1. OrCam MyEye

This is designed to help the blind and people with vision impairment.  One can attach this to eyeglasses. While the camera takes pictures its algorithm matches patterns to its database and informs the wearer about the things and obstacles. Thus, the user can navigate safely. This can also read books, newspapers, help in shopping and recognize faces.

2. Google Smart Contact Lenses

Developed jointly by Google and Novartis, this can measure the level of glucose in the tears of the user. It uses a mathematical algorithm for the purpose and sends information to smart-phones. Other than diabetic patients, this can also be used by individuals suffering from age-related vision loss.

3. Livio Al Ecosystem

It is a multipurpose wearable assisted by artificial intelligence. This is provided with sensors for detecting motions and gestures besides working as a hearing aid. This also tracks physical activities and reduces the chance of falling and injury.

Some AI-assisted devices are designed to improve the quality of sleep. These are to be worn while going to bed. These pick up brain waves and transform them into soothing musical waves. When these waves are mirrored back through ear-buds, they help to relax. As a result, the user falls into a refreshing sleep within a few minutes. 

AI wearable reinvigorates fitness

AI-assisted wearable technologies help to enhance fitness. These have crowded the market in the form of bands, rings, smart-watches, smart-phones, etc. Apple, Fitbit, Garmin, Samsung, and Xiaomi gadgets are some of the examples.

Loaded with a unique biosensor, they are designed to perform definite tasks like counting steps, measuring heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen level, glucose level, elevation, etc. Other than keeping records the artificial intelligence trackers act as a personal trainer. These can set goals, suggest diet plan, sleep, and ideal workout for improving the fitness level. Thus, AI-assisted devices deliver a personalized experience and can make you more strong and fit. Moreover, these can also mark people who need medical care.

Why embrace AI and wearable in healthcare

Artificial intelligence assisted wearable technologies have blown up the healthcare sector like a tempest. While it helps the user by home health monitoring, it also helps healthcare providers to improve service, optimize care, and reduce risks.

AI-enabled wearable technologies can build up a 24×7 patient-doctor connection. This helps to provide better treatment for them. These are also great for the diagnosis of critical diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer.

This also helps in medical consultation. If any abnormality is detected, the patient may consult an AI doctor. Having a neutral network with deep learning algorithmic, it can make a faster diagnosis than the physical doctor. The chances of mistakes are also minimal in such diagnosis. Once the diagnosis is done, it can also prescribe medicines and send the prescription to the user. Some AI-assisted wearable technologies can even remind the user about taking medicines.

Overuse of antibiotics has turned a major part of the global populace resistant to antibiotics. This is the greatest threat as such individuals do not respond to treatment due to the evolution of superbugs. Wearable technologies can reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance. The digital data can help to identify the nature of infection and can flag risky patients before they start showing symptoms.

The biggest advantage of artificial intelligence is that it can make accurate predictions at a minimal cost. According to the WHO, 60% of individual health problems are due to unhealthy lifestyles. The AI-assisted devices can give reminders to the patients based on the changes observed.

Robot-assisted surgery is another great advantage of embracing artificial intelligence in healthcare. This works with more precision and reduces hospital time. Using AI, it is possible to collaborate with highly trained healthcare professionals for the best possible treatment and care.

Artificial intelligence in healthcare helps :

• Integration of information
• Better data-driven decision
• Easy diagnosis and efficient treatment.
• Lowers cost of chronic disease management
• Save times with voice to text transcriptions
• Reduce unnecessary hospital visits.

Future of artificial intelligence in healthcare

More and more people are working to achieve personal and professional fitness goals now. This resulted in increasing demands for artificial intelligence-enabled wearable technologies. AI-based headphones with Bluetooth work as a personal trainer based on health parameters.

Also, having immense potential for advance and critical medical applications, AI seems to have a great future in the healthcare sector.  With the advent of IoT (Internet of Things) will lead to better data integration. This will give new insights that will benefit the patient and the provider as well. Further patient satisfaction is also expected to be achieved through the use of cognitive artificial intelligence.

Final words

Talking about possibilities, artificial intelligence (AI) has many options. The great thing about AI is that it does not make mistakes. This makes it suitable for the healthcare sector where mistakes mean disaster. This is why AI and wearable, the two cutting-edge technologies, together can provide the best healthcare services and make the sector more efficient.