A new camera solution recognises people who fall and people who leave their beds, and in this case automatically sounds an alarm to healthcare providers. The camera thus helps reduce the number of false alarms, reduces workload and optimises the deployment of caregivers.
It is NurseAssist, which has been developed by Mobotix and Kepler Vision Technologies (Kepler). The solution is aimed at elderly care, hospitals and healthcare facilities. It involves a Mobotix C17 Hemispheric Indoor Camera, combined with a vision solution from Kepler.
Kepler focuses specifically on developing vision software for the healthcare sector, with artificial intelligence (AI) playing an important role. The solutions monitor patients' well-being, without storing images for privacy purposes. If necessary, the software automatically alerts healthcare personnel.
Countering falls
NurseAssist thus helps combat a widespread problem in healthcare: falls of elderly, sick or needy people. Such falls can have major consequences. These include broken bones and other injuries, which in some cases can even lead to the death of the patient.
Systems that monitor patients for falls have been around for some time. In practice, however, these systems generate relatively many false alarms. For instance, research by Kepler at a Dutch healthcare provider with a care facility with 16 patients shows that as many as 1,500 false alarms are reported per week. In many cases, these are notifications caused by such things as pets jumping on the bed, a pillow falling off the bed or even a curtain moving in the wind.
Reduce number of false alarms
In collaboration with Mobotix, Kepler aims to reduce the number of false alarms using NurseAssist. The solution has been tested at the aforementioned care facility. Here, the solution is proving to save three working hours on a daily basis. In addition, NurseAssist counteracts 'alarm fatigue', by which the parties refer to the diminishing sense of urgency that can occur after experiencing a large number of false alarms. This can lead to slower or even no assistance being provided in a real emergency.
Mobotix supplies the Mobotix C17 Hemispheric Indoor Camera for the solution. it is a so-called hemispheric camera, which offers a very wide viewing angle. This prevents blind spots in the room being monitored.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Photo: Mobotix
