Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1219491
58 I ICT TODAY Qualcomm's recent XPRIZE global competition awarded $10 million to two finalists who created their best possible version of a tricorder. Competitors were judged on their machine's capability to diagnose accu- rately 13 medical conditions—while measuring continu- ously five vital signs with a positive patient experi- ence—independent of any assistance from a medical professional or healthcare facility. When one thinks about the fabled tricorder and its possibilities, it is simply a handful of components work- ing together (i.e., processing or computer chip[s], a radio to transmit, and sensors or ancillary devices). Thus, some type of wireless network to connect to is key; the faster the better. Additionally, consider that Moore's Law states that the number of transistors in an integrated circuit (chip) doubles every two years. By 2026 or what is esti- mated to be peak 5G deployment, processing power will have doubled three consecutive times from today. This is important because it implies that at some point there will be the massive processing power in a mobile device enabling on the spot sophisticated testing and analysis, which may exist today only in a lab or data center. Robots may be the next frontier for the medical industry, and wireless connectivity is an absolute require- Robots, might seem simple and crude compared to the science fiction images many people hold in their minds. However, like the fictional tricorder, they are enabled by processing power and wireless connectivity and will become more capable and functional. Imagine a future medical clinic where a human nurse might greet patients to put them at ease, followed by the doctor, a human-like plastic and metal machine named Dr. Bob. Dr. Bob is equipped with the most powerful array of com- puter chips for processing complex data. Dr. Bob has a wide variety of sensors and monitoring appendages to check the patient's pulse, temperature, and nervous system. Bob can quickly test patients' blood and other bodily functions, while chatting with them via an artifi- cial intelligence-capable voice interface. Furthermore, because Dr. Bob has wireless connectivity, he is fully mobile and can communicate with other doctors and other networks and systems—continuously and in real time. Heady stuff, perhaps. The reality is that technology advancements in the medical field will continue to drive better patient care, more efficiencies, and better outcomes. BICSI professionals are wise to understand these coming advancements and how the wide variety of wireless sys- tems they design and build will support and empower life-changing medical advancements. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: Mark Niehus, RCDD, is area vice president for Connectivity Wireless Solutions. An RCCD since 1999, he has more than 25 years of ICT installation, design and project management experience and has worked with enterprise customers to specify, engineer, fund and deploy wired and wireless networks. Mark has a BA in English from the University of Iowa and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. He can be reached at mniehus@connectivitywireless.com. FIGURE 5: Robots may have a place in the future of health care. Robots may be the next frontier for the medical industry, and wireless connectivity is an absolute requirement. ment (Figure 5). Robots today assist in patient care in simple but important ways, such as assisting in moving patients. Robot for Interactive Body Assistance (RIBA) can lift up or set down a human from or to a bed or wheelchair by using guidance systems controlled by high- accuracy sensors.