IoT and Edge Solutions for the Aging Population

IoT and edge solutions have created quite a buzz in the market, and the latter is actively being used in various fields like telemedicine, revolutionizing the healthcare ecosystem. The vast amount of data available gives rise to inefficiency in data streaming to a cloud or data center for processing.

Edge computing solutions are expertly being used in various ways that range from basic event filtering to complex-event processing or batch processing. A recent report from the AFCOM State of the Data Center Industry study estimated that a large number of respondents indicated the purpose of edge compute capacity was to support and enable IoT. Though young people mainly use IoT devices and solutions, the real users of IoT will become an aging population who use health monitors, sensors, medical devices, and remote – branch – healthcare data processing facilities. Edge solutions, when coupled with healthcare IoT, help deliver better healthcare services and faster response to emergencies saving lives in the process.

New types of healthcare services powered by IoT solutions can help monitor a patient while they are at home.

(I)nternet (o)f (H)ealthcare-enabled (T)hings:

Some of the compelling use-cases for IoT, edge solutions, and healthcare include internet-enabled devices and sensors that collect real-time health data, pharmaceutical inventory, remote patient monitoring, and wellness and prevention monitoring.

However, healthcare executives see some barriers to IoHT uptake such as privacy concerns, legacy systems, security concerns, technology immaturity, and lack of budget. Still, these solutions potentially open up the healthcare world to new opportunities and more importantly, to save numerous lives. Edge solutions and IoT will play hand-in-hand in the development of IoHT solutions.

Hence, the healthcare industry should understand the significant role healthcare IoT is going to play shortly and build an infrastructure that can support its application.