The human-machine interface (HMI), or the way doctors and patients interact with technology, is at the heart of medical care. In fact, HMI technology, robotics, functional electrical stimulation, and brain stimulation have been found to have immense potential to speed recovery, improve patient monitoring, and save lives.
There is no area of medical treatment that does not use machines. From the tiny pulse detector attached like a clutch to your finger, to the challenging and sophisticated technology called Artificial Intelligence (AI), HMI technology is essential for assessing, monitoring patients and delivering treatment. It provides vital information and extraordinary benefits for patients and doctors. HMI systems contribute greatly to improving communication in medical environments. With their help, medical professionals can communicate more quickly and efficiently to ensure patients receive the help they need.
HMI systems are distinguished by their portability and ease of operation. Regardless of function, each system is equipped with clear, universal, and easy-to-understand features that speak to a close collaboration between science and engineering. The human-technology partnership is constantly evolving and mutually beneficial. All of this allows doctors to produce excellent results in diagnosing, caring for and monitoring patients. However, the rapidly growing technology also needs careful examination so that it does not dominate, but rather becomes a complement and support to clinical practice.
Latest applications for HMI systems
Neural Interface
Brain mapping or brain-computer interface (BCI) is emerging as a highly successful means of treating mental health problems, depression, Alzheimer's disease, dementia and paralysis by repairing human cognitive or sensorimotor functions. Neural interfacing involves implants that can be worn inside and outside the body. Providing a direct communication path between a connected brain and an external device, signals from implanted prosthetics can be treated by the brain as natural sensors or effector channels. Starting with neuroprosthetic devices implanted in humans in the mid-1990s, we have moved on to neuroelectronics or neurochips that help stimulate and record individual neurons grown on semiconductor chips. These tools can help patients convey basic needs, adjust bed position and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), and otherwise empower people with disabilities to make life decisions and communicate.
AI-based diagnosis and treatment
A machine learning algorithm can compute diseases 1,000 times more and faster than traditional image receptors such as MRI, CT and X-ray. AI also helps update radiological functions without the need for tissue or blood samples. Eventually, nothing less than a “remote revolution” is taking place, almost by sending photographs of affected regions of their bodies, which a doctor can diagnose, treat, prescribe and advise follow-up actions while sitting away from the patient, downloading language. machine and images.
Machines can examine thousands of these medical images – and billions of pixels within them – to identify the presence of a disease or estimate its aggressiveness, likelihood of survival or potential response to treatment. Rapid analysis of large volumes of data helps achieve real-time assessments of medical conditions, point-of-care interventions, and appropriate clinical decision making.
In a Stanford study, the machines were found to be as accurate as trained dermatologists in distinguishing between skin cancers and benign lesions in 100 test images.
Another Google study based on deep learning used high-resolution photographs of the retina to accurately identify which patients had diabetic retinopathy – a medical condition in which damage to the retina occurs due to diabetes mellitus.
Robotic surgery
Robotic or robot-assisted surgery is a type of minimally invasive surgery. It integrates advanced computer technology with the expertise of a skilled surgeon who performs surgery using very small tools attached to a robotic arm. Taking a high-definition, 10x magnified 3D image of the body's intricate anatomy, the surgeon controls special surgical tools and the camera from a console located 
in the operating room. As the robot replaces the surgeon's hand movements, the surgeon can perform many types of complex procedures with greater precision, flexibility and control during more complex procedures.
Dealing with Critical Illness
According to a recently published article in the journal Brain, HMI technology, healthcare robotics, and brain stimulation are immensely helpful in rehabilitating stroke patients.
A team of Swiss researchers observed that these technologies, when used together and personalized for each patient, can improve recovery from severe chronic stroke,
The most common result of a stroke is impaired arm function, which affects daily tasks and quality of life. Neurotechnology-assisted upper limb rehabilitation has been found to be promising for patients with severe chronic stroke.
The research team has initiated a clinical trial using a personalized therapeutic approach with the aim of improving stroke recovery using a combination of novel neurotechnology-based personalized therapies.
Automated workflow and supervision
The medical industry gains by saving $18 billion through machine-regulated workflows and administrative tasks. AI-powered software is useful in medical transcription (speech-to-text translation); medical prescriptions based on symptoms and compilation of patient records. Based on the genetic makeup of patients, doctors can select and assign the correct diagnosis despite limited access to or explanation of symptoms by patients. A complete medical history can be deduced by machines, devices and implants that help assess overall health beyond monitoring heart rate and blood pressure.
Patient Monitoring System: Comprising devices configured to adhere to the patient's skin and measure electrocardiogram data, impedance data, accelerometer data, blood oxygen data and temperature data, the patient monitoring system can communicate wirelessly with gateways and a local processor system. The local processor system is configured to personalize alerts for the patient. Automatically notifies a specialist in response to unusual changes in a patient's condition. The custom alert is sent based on a unique device identifier.
The machines obtain digital information on heart rate, breathing, blood pressure and other vital signs of the body. Thus, monitoring machines minimize the time spent in the presence of doctors.
Worldwide network of clinical databases
Organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) manage and accumulate enormous amounts of health, disease, and substance abuse data needed for their research and referral programs. Its analysis helps to resolve and eradicate any suspicion of disease spreading in the strait through measures extracted from a composition of preventive data collected in the electronically stored database.
Digital Health Records
The daily functioning of all hospitals, including state-of-the-art multi-specialty hospitals, depends on a complex network of men and machines.
Electronic Health Records (EHR) are a crucial technology-driven segment in the medical industry. Patients' health records are presented digitally and made available for close examination by doctors. Alerts them to any clinical deficiencies, discrepancies in multiple past and present treatment records, and helps avoid drug overlaps and side effects during diagnosis and prescription.
Special software that meticulously details patients' previous consultations and treatment records forms the basis of diagnosis, prescription and initiation or follow-up of treatment. Hospitals cannot function without the support of their IT professionals, managers and executives who rely heavily on computerized networks. Thus, they rely on independent servers and backup electricity to operate the system, including tending stockpiles of supplies and resources, scheduling personnel tasks, and electronic surveillance.
In short
There is no doubt that technology has become a critical part of healthcare, but it is necessary to become its master and not its servant. Machines must not overshadow, overwhelm and intimidate patients with inappropriately invasive and aggressive treatments, leaving them to face critical illness and death in unfamiliar and technically sophisticated environments. The human aspects of patient care must not be lacking and there must be respect for the patient's quality of life.
According to Marjorie Funk of the Yale University School of Nursing, doctors need to become proficient with technology and then transcend it to use it as a vital tool in providing holistic care. They must feel comfortable with the machines and confident enough to devote additional time and attention to patient comfort. The power that technology confers requires that doctors use it appropriately, safely, equitably, and humanely. The challenge is to minimize the human cost of technological advancement while ensuring the prudent and equitable application of technology to patient care.
