31 August 2010
Home computers set to revolutionise healthcare
An innovative computer system which allows the long-term sick to manage their condition, without health professionals, could revolutionise primary health care in Britain.
Devised by the University of Sheffield, the SMART system acts as the user´s `personal therapist´, providing the advice and health checks that usually require a visit to a doctor´s surgery. This pioneering technology could potentially save the NHS millions by flagging up serious deterioration before an emergency hospital admission is required.
The system works by using smart phone technology to record the user´s activity and amends their daily schedules depending on the users own assessment of their progress. A separate computer also tracks key health indicators, such as weight change and blood pressure, while also providing advice and information on the user´s condition.
Three versions of the system are currently being developed to cover victims of strokes, heart failure patients and sufferers of chronic pain.
Almost 200,000 people in Britain suffer a stroke or heart failure each year, with a cost to the NHS of almost £3bn. While around eight million suffer from chronic pain, with back pain alone costing the exchequer an estimated £6bn a year.
SMART will provide a vital source of information for health care professionals who can tap into the stored data and observe fluctuations in patients´ conditions.
Dr Annette Haywood, from the University´s School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), said: "SMART will give patients the opportunity to improve their physical fitness remotely from health professionals. They will be encouraged to manage their own care independently and learn more about their condition as they use the system.
"It is an innovative system which will complement their existing care and have the potential to recognise when additional professional assistance is needed."
The system tackles one of the major challenges in health care by providing convenient care in the home, as laid out in Lord Darzi´s NHS next stage review – which called on the NHS to use technology to make `care closer to home a reality for many patients´.
Sue White, Director of Long Term Conditions at the Yorkshire and Humber NHS Health, Innovation and Education cluster, said: "I strongly support this type of assistive technology. It will allow people with long-term health problems to carry on with their lives without constant visits to the hospital and the doctor´s surgery. Secondly, it can help improve productivity and efficiency in the health system and provide better value for money for every pound we spend on care. This is very important when health budgets are under pressure."
Notes for Editors: About SMART
SMART is an acronym for Self Management Supported by Assistive, Rehabilitation and Telecare Technologies. The University of Sheffield is working in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University, University of Bath and University of Ulster to develop SMART.
Funding for the project has come from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
About Assistive Technology research at the University of Sheffield
An interdisciplinary research team at the University of Sheffield, comprising of nurses, social scientists, psychologists, information specialists, medical engineers, clinical scientists and allied health professionals, is developing a number of assistive technologies to meet the challenges faced by the UK´s ageing population.
In addition to the SMART system, researchers at the University are also working on a number of other projects. These include:
MAAVIS
A specially-designed programme that enables people who use computers little or not at all - such as some elderly and people with disabilities - to easily use computer functions including video conferencing and the Internet without any understanding of Microsoft or Apple operating systems.
VIVOCA
A device which combines recognition and synthesis technologies to record and recognise disordered speech, before recreating a person´s voice. The device acts as a personal translator allowing people with no speech or limited speech to form basic conversations.
SPECS
A voice recognition device that helps the elderly, infirm or disabled to live more independently in their own homes by controlling house hold devices by voice, converting any instruction into an infra-red signal which will allow users to open doors, switch on lights and turn the television channel.
SERA
An EU-funded research project which is evaluating how human beings interact with talking domestic robots with a long term goal of creating an assistive device which can help people with their daily lives, whether that is with medication, rehabilitative exercise, or security in the home.
Collectively each project is working towards the notion of a PAL (Personal Adaptive Listener) - an advanced piece of technology where the fundamental principle is to learn from its user, in turn developing knowledge of that user in order to assist them in carrying out daily tasks.
For further information please contact: Lindsey Wilson, Media Relations Manager, on 0114 2225338 or email l.bird@sheffield.ac.uk
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