Alexa to Detect Cardiac Arrest: Software-based Diagnostics in Every Home
[Thursday, June 20, 2019] A study released this week reported that common home-based smart listening devices like Amazon Echo and iPhones could be used to detect cardiac arrest based on irregular breathing sound. The authors show how everyday common devices can be used not only to detect cardiac arrest with a greater than 97% sensitivity and specificity but that the devices can self-dial 911 to call emergency care professionals and potentially save lives. The software algorithm could be trained to increase its accuracy. This adds to a myriad of applications being developed to use smart devices to automate diagnostics and even treatment. Smart device-based diagnostics is developing at a breakneck speed, much faster than the corresponding regulation. Currently smart devices are being proposed as adjunct or supplementary tools to help with common healthcare needs but as consumers and regulators get more comfortable with such technologies, and generate real world data supporting the benefits, it is inevitable that such tools will become primary diagnostic tools. FDA has taken mostly a hands-off approach to regulating such devices letting the industry take the lead in developing and defining various applications. Consumers are already familiar with such devices so adaptation will be easy. |
|