The Power of Connected Health on Display at Mobile World Congress

AT&T IoT Technology Enables Life-Changing Devices – Impacting Global Health

AT&T* will demonstrate the power of connected health devices at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 26-March 1. The scope and reach of Internet of Things (IoT) technology is evident in these devices.  In a recent survey¹, consumers ranked personal health as the highest priority in their life that they most want technology to improve. Connected health can improve lives and enhance healthcare around the world.

An AT&T Global SIM card and AT&T Control Center enable these connected health devices.  With AT&T wireless connectivity, connected heath devices can lead to quicker diagnoses, make available expert care in remote areas and better management of medications.

Here’s what AT&T customers, WaveGuide, swyMed and Softbox say about their devices using AT&T connectivity:

Disease Monitoring

WaveGuide, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, developed a hand-held nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) platform technology.  According to WaveGuide:

• The portable and battery operated devices can detect pathogens and infectious diseases like tuberculosis and various cancers like ovarian cancer in about 20 minutes. 
• Testing is easy to administer and can be performed by remote/rural healthcare workers.
• With only a small sample from the patient, the healthcare provider has results within minutes.

With AT&T connectivity, the results are sent back to WaveGuide for further analysis over our highly secure network. Around-the-clock data analytics mean WaveGuide can report outbreaks of disease to ministries of health worldwide. This can lead to a reduction in the spread of infectious disease. 

WaveGuide will begin conducting clinical trials in the USA and China shortly and expects to have U.S. and China regulatory approvals late 2018.

Connected Doctor

The DOT Telemedicine Backpack by swyMed brings the doctor to the patients – from almost anywhere. Lexington, Massachusetts-based swyMed developed this durable, portable telemedicine solution to “beam” the doctor to the patient via its patented video conferencing software.

The DOT Backpack has a powerful, enterprise-grade antenna. It includes a redundant modem and an 8-hour battery. This “doc on tap” solution uses the highly-secure and reliable AT&T network. Doctors can assess patients on-site in near real time. They can determine the appropriate hospital or trauma center before transport – saving crucial time. Life-saving treatment can be administered and patient status monitored during transit.   

The backpack and other swyMed mobile integrated healthcare solutions are currently used in the U.S., Europe (Eastern and Western), the Middle East and India.

Smart Medication

Softbox Systems, headquartered in the UK, provides specialist temperature control packaging to the pharmaceutical industry.  Softbox has been working with the AT&T IoT Foundry in Plano, Texas on a proof of concept (PoC) for a connected “smart” flask. This connected flask collects location and temperature data as well as usage details, helping to monitor and protect high value, temperature sensitive medication. The flask can also help patients follow prescribed usage, even when away from home or travelling abroad.

The smart flask is a Personal Medication Protection device.  It is made of advanced thermal material and is combined with IoT and sensor technologies.  The AT&T Foundry specialists have worked with the Softbox team to quickly develop a working prototype. The AT&T M2X and Flow platforms have enabled the rapid rendering of the mobile application and data reporting dashboard to support the PoC for market testing.

The AT&T Global SIM card enables connectivity for the smart flask in nearly 200 countries and territories globally.  A prototype mobile app is designed to allow patients or caregivers to remotely check the temperature, quantity and location of the medicine.  Prescription usage would be monitored – alerting clinicians to send refills. 

AT&T cellular connectivity also opens up other possible benefits of the smart flask.  Clinical researchers could carry out “site-less” trials using the collected data – increasing the likelihood of continued participation and positive outcomes.   

“With IoT technology, our customers are changing the way healthcare is administered” said Joe Mosele – vice president, IoT Solutions. “They’re bringing healthcare to places where it’s desperately needed. Connected technology is changing lives and, in many cases, saving lives.” 

To learn more about these life-changing devices and other connected health solutions, check out the AT&T booth #4D30 at Mobile World Congress.

To learn more about IoT’s potential to transform business, go to att.com/iot.

^{1. Source: AT&T and Added Value surveyed 4,980 mobile users, Nov. 1 – Dec. 3, 2017.}