For the past month, I have noticed a lot of clickbait-style headlines saying something like “Alexa will soon be able to tell if you’re going to die”. So dramatic, right? Some researchers at the University of Washington recently developed a tool that enables Alexa speakers may be able to detect if you’re having a cardiac arrest based on the sounds you’re making. As AI and smart speakers and digital assistants are becoming more ubiquitous, the idea of an algorithm making a diagnosis or a robot offering first aid doesn’t seem so far fetched.
The use of Watson from IBM in cancer detection is the most commonly known application of AI in healthcare. It can detect lung cancer at a success rate of 90% compared to 50% of human doctors. It is also able to keep up with the latest research at a pace faster than humans, and it has the potential to many lives. Watson can also suggest better treatment options and in the trials conducted, were in agreement with other doctors for breast cancer treatments in over 95% cases.
Computers and bioinformatics tools have been used to accelerate the drug discovery process for many years now. They have been used to study the interaction between drugs and their binding sites. Generally, massive data sets have to be manually imported to the bioinformatics tools for this process. Using AI, it may be possible to make this process automatic, teaching the system to sift through vast amounts of medical data, understand it, and suggest possible cures. IBM Watson has once again become a pioneer in this, aiding biotech companies to accelerate drug discovery.
Detection of atrial fibrillation using an Apple Watch is currently one of the most popular uses of AI in healthcare. While people may not buy an Apple watch for this sole purpose, patients suffering from heart problems will see this as a welcome addition. Another interesting feature in the new Apple watch is fall detection. The feature that may look unnecessary for the average user can come particularly useful for patients who are prone to falls, such as geriatric patients, people with ear balance issues, and other people who are likely to hurt themselves by falling.
Smart speakers like Alexa, Google Home, Home-pod that are becoming more and more common among households are slowly finding their place in the healthcare sector. Amazon has recently unveiled a set of HIPAA compliant Alexa skills, enabling patients to make same-day appointments, manage prescriptions, provide health tips and even give blood glucose readings.
Meanwhile, MocDoc, a SaaS company based in Chennai, India that develops hospital, pharmacy, lab and clinic management software have recently integrated Amazon Alexa to their hospital management system, allowing doctors and hospital administrators to get updates about their schedules and appointments by talking to Alexa. Digital assistants in a hospital have an amazing potential to help patients in their recovery, and for doctors to provide the best care.
With the advances in AI and technology, it may not be long before robots complete unassisted surgeries or Alexa prescribes medicines.
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