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Do you feel sick and don’t know if this just a momentary sickness? Do you have recurring symptoms suggesting impairment of your health and do you hesitate to go to a doctor? Do you know to what extent are the signs of a deteriorated health condition caused by changes of weather, improper diet, overworking or stress? What decision-making mechanism to choose?

Specification of the issue
Search for a method of measuring, storing, visualizing, and transferring measured values from various medical devices to appropriate applications to support the diagnosis of different types of diseases based on expert knowledge. Support for the decision-making process for a doctor’s visit.

Signs of the issue
Frequent worsening of health, changes in the state of health over time, the existence of associated diseases that cause unforeseeable changes in one’s health, the need to monitor the health of people living alone.

Acknowledged issues and available data sources:

• Regular heart rate monitoring – ECG (Electrocardiogram)
• ECG data output could be reviewed in a digital form

Task examples

• Non-standard situations chart search – pathologies (the pathology definition is determined by the doctor)
• create an application with automatic notification of pathology from continuous measurements based on search results and outputs

For questions or more information please contact rm-eventregistration@intl.att.com

In 2017, patients collected 80.7 million prescription medicine packages from pharmacies. Health insurance companies paid 886.4 mil. €. According to the ATC (anatomic-therapeutic-chemical) group, the most commonly prescribed medications for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (27.3 million packages), central nervous system (CNS) diseases (13.7 million packages), and the digestive tract and metabolism diseases (8.6 million packages) were prescribed. However, if the patient does not follow the instructions of the doctor and the medication is not taken in line with such instructions, the treatment is ineffective and must be repeated. This increases the cost of treatment as well as wastes medication that could be used for other patients. Moreover, it complicates the work of doctor who assesses whether the patient has been following the treatment-related instructions at home.

Specification of the issue
How should patient’s treatment and medication schedule be checked at home? How to motivate the patient to follow through with the treatment, as it is being recorded and evaluated by patient’s physician? How to control and oversee treatment and medication schedule of elderly patients and patients living alone?

Signs of the issue
Doctor’s suspicion on patient not following treatment regulations, memory problems causing incorrect medication intake by elderly patients or patients living alone.

Acknowledged issues and available data sources
It is necessary to address the tasks related to treatment and medication schedule being monitored through ICT in order to improve information flow and make patient’s treatment more effective.

Task examples
Create an application “Patient treatment calendar “– with following functions:

• Notification about following the treatment and medication schedule, which will be automatically sent to the doctor
• Information about prescribed medication (a pharmacist will often recommend an alternate drug)
• history of previously used medications, register of unused medication and medication for which the patient has an allergy
• drug compatibility monitoring

For questions or more information please contact rm-eventregistration@intl.att.com

Patients with serious chronic conditions, treatment also requires constant monitoring of their medical condition. Regular check-ups at a general practitioner or specialist practitioner can only be done at certain time intervals. Visiting a medical facility is a serious physical, health and financial burden for sick and elderly people, often requiring attendance of family members or an acquaintance. If a physician had the opportunity to check the monitoring system of the measured values of basic life functions daily, they could track positive / negative changes in the treatment of the disease as well as fluctuations during the day, anomalies in the development of the health condition that a one-time check-up visit at a doctor might not reveal. Early detection of an imminent worsening of one’s state of health would lead the doctor to diagnose the problem in time and change the treatment regime to deal with acute conditions before they are diagnosed by the patients themselves.

Specification of the issue
Obtaining information comprised of warning signals in patient’s health condition. Linking the information obtained with the electronic diagnostics processes (algorithms) to a doctor, providing a permanent flow of information to the doctor monitoring the risk factors and evaluating the achievement of their critical and target margins. Constant signaling of critical values of monitored life functions to a physician.

Signs of the issue
Treatment of diseases treated at home, which might be susceptible to sudden health-related changes, treatment of patients with allergic reactions, epilepsy, with various forms of cardiovascular disease (irregular pulse, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, pain in the thoracic area, etc.), requiring daily monitoring of basic vital functions.
Edit.: mentor (doctor) might add appropriate diagnoses after a consultation.

Acknowledged issues and available data sources:

Task example:

• creating an application for monitoring anomalous vital functions (source of information – various sensors).

Monitoring examples:

• personal self-monitoring,
• monitoring of one’s behavior (various monitoring approaches and use of different sensors),
• contactless monitoring of vital functions…

Comments:
necessary to solve, for example, the transfer of scanned data into decision-making algorithms set in two lines – decision-making not requiring contact / consultation of results with a doctor (setting the critical and target values of the markers to be monitored, if these values are being exceeded, the algorithm directs the patient to the next procedure when – (a) they have to contact the doctor by telephone; (b) they have to visit the doctor as soon as possible;

For questions or more information please contact rm-eventregistration@intl.att.com

Alzheimer’s onset begins quietly and slowly while continuously developing over several years. Early warning signs of this disease include memory impairment, forgetting recent events, names, inability to recognize familiar places and inability to sort things chronologically. These first signs of disease are often attributed to aging, stress or depression by patients and their relatives, continuously for several years. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. There are 50-60 thousand people with Alzheimer’s in Slovakia and the number is growing every year. About 100-150 thousand family members and healthcare workers are responsible for this group. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) statement, Alzheimer’s disease is one of the top ten major diseases. The sooner the disease is diagnosed the sooner the treatment might start, improving the chances of a successful treatment.

Specification of the issue
Monitoring the development of cognitive functions to diagnose early stage Alzheimer’s. Concerning the Alzheimer’s diagnosis in items 1 – 6; motivating patient to perform related actions correctly, detecting improper patient decisions, providing patient information to the family member, and sharing it with a doctor. Regarding disease diagnosis – finding ways to ensure the patient’s greater autonomy and to ensure reduction of their physical and mental dependence at least in the early stages of the disease.

Signs of the issue

Task examples:
Creating an application focused on the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms in a patient via frequent symptoms analysis

Memory impairment that interferes with the ability to perform specific, every-day tasks

• Frequently repeating questions, problems with formulating sentences,
• Frequent changes in mood and behavior, apathy with regards to one’s surroundings
• Storing things in inappropriate places, the inability to find them,
• Bad orientation in a familiar environment, problems with returning to one’s home
• Disorientation in time – Limiting the ability to memorize the current day or year.

For questions or more information please contact rm-eventregistration@intl.att.com

Are you a professional or everyday driver who uses his vehicle to transport and to meet one’s everyday needs? In a vehicle one might sit, think, experience stressful situations, enjoy comfort; however, high concentration is required with regards to driving, including the concentration associated with the continuous perception of the situation on the road. Often the driver has to make various decision algorithms when dealing with route change, sudden obstacle, signaling, and so on. The seat, steering wheel or steering levers are components of which directly link the vehicle with the driver. One’s vehicle could serve as an X-ray cabin that records all the necessary information about the current state of health of the person as well as deviations from the ordinary such as sudden sensational excitement, changes in one’s surroundings, negative reports from the radio, ringing of the mobile phone, etc.

Signalization of risky driving
Many traffic accidents on the road are caused by drivers’ late or wrong reactions to changing road and traffic environment, unpredictable situations, etc. Often the driver himself experiences considerable fatigue, exhaustion while driving, or has recently experienced a microsleep behind the steering wheel. Our legislation requires the driver’s health check to take place every 5 years after they reach the age of 65. Every person can perceive the stress related to driving at different ages, which might be determined by health, lifestyle, long-term stress, previous employment, and so on. Is it possible to correctly monitor and provide signals to the drivers and their surroundings that their driving is jeopardizing their safety and the safety of other road users?

Specification of the issue
Detecting and recording all information about the current health condition of a person as well as deviations in the measured values, specifying the causes of the deviations. Creating a system detecting the frequent reduction in the ability to drive, the driver has a medical restriction (problematic mobility after injury or due to age, impaired vision, nausea after setting treatment, the tendency of drowsiness, a late reaction to the situation on the road e.g. signaling equipment, obstacles) and the like.

Signs of the issue
Tasks focusing on: early recognition of the deterioration of driver’s life functions, age-differentiated (older drivers under the influence of multiple diseases). Monitoring the management of the burden of stress, effects of the burden of stress on cardiovascular and other diseases, setting critical thresholds of measured values to decide when driving a vehicle for human health is very harmful, life-threatening, extreme to dangerous. Elimination of life threatening situations, or alternatively, increasing road traffic safety by setting a critical threshold for a driver defined by specific markers

Tasks aimed at detecting the functions necessary for the safe operation of a car:

• Monitoring and warning signals for momentarily reduced ability to operate a car.
• Monitoring and warning signals in the progressive reduction of operational capability of a driver differentiated by one’s age and health (impaired vision, diseases, tests to determine the critical levels, when one’s driving is endangering the driver and their surroundings).

Tasks aimed at creating an application to detect the functions necessary for the safe vehicle operation:

• Monitoring and warning signals for momentarily reduced ability to drive vehicle.
• Monitoring and warning signals in the progressive reduction of operational capability of a driver differentiated by their age and health (impaired vision, diseases, tests to determine the critical levels, when one’s driving is endangering the driver and his / her surroundings).

Pathological markers: frequent blinking, sweating, increased pulse rate, closing eyes for prolonged periods of time ….
Comments: measuring EEG potentials of the brain using the headrest

For questions or more information please contact rm-eventregistration@intl.att.com

Obesity is a disease with complicated treatment which often cannot be solved without medical help. In recent years, the incidence of obesity has been steadily rising; approximately 55% of the adult population is overweight. The general population is affected by both overeating as well as the absence of physical activity, with negative environmental influences prevailing. Obesity is also associated with the incidence of cancer and metabolic diseases. Nowadays, obesity is treated by five methods – diet, physical activity, psychotherapy, utilizing medication and surgery. The first three procedures are fairly simple, but not very successful; success requires significant amount of personnel involved. The patient must have a strong motivation. Children’s obesity is not only an aesthetic problem, but also a health issue, especially in civilized countries. Child obesity is a significant risk factor for many diseases not only in childhood, but in adulthood as well. In Slovakia, up to 5% of all the children are overweight, while 12% are obese. Family obesity is also observed, although genetic predispositions are not fully documented. These include, particularly inappropriate eating habits, lack of physical activity and a sedentary way of spending leisure time. School activities appear to be inadequate. Attention is drawn to the need to address these problems through the development of incentive systems, set for specific age categories with an effective upkeep strategy.

Specification of the issue
Creating motivational obesity programs for adults: obesity program aimed at monitoring and regulating the quality and quantity of one’s diet, as well as an obesity program for community building to ensure the stable physical activities of the individual. Creating community sports programs – development of an organizer.

Development of technological innovations for children and adolescents, such as individual marketing strategies and mobile systems, that will motivate behavioral changes with respect to their eating habits. Child and adolescent activity tracking algorithms will be used. Creation of gaming applications mainly for lower age categories. Suitable application linking with predictive analysis and recommendations for obese children and adolescents.

Signs of the issue
Early recognition of obesity and setup of regular physical activities. Monitoring the total physical activity time during a work day and detecting the necessary physical activities that an individual need to complete with regard to one’s specific working day and associated work activities. Linking a diet system with a physical activity system for simple calculation in order to determine the type of food supply reduction and / or quantifying the necessary completion of physical activities on a given day. Creating weekend modules to combine relaxation, sport and healthy eating habits.
Creation of a system that detects one’s tendency for being overweight for both children and adolescents, which over time might turn to pathological obesity causing major problems in adulthood. An appeal to gain incentives in time to monitor one’s overweight and to seek motivating solutions to prevent its progress and negative impacts on health of the population as well as on health behavior determined by poor lifestyle.

Acknowledged issues and available data sources

Tasks examples:
Creation of an application which aims to:

• Create a social network – as an environment promoting weight loss… sport activities, team-activities with a common theme
• Monitoring of calories burned or monitoring the caloric value of the diet
• Personal „chef / cook “, diet planner, personal trainer, physical activity monitoring

For questions or more information please contact rm-eventregistration@intl.att.com

Smoking kills 443,000 people annually. Smoking accounts for 30% of total cancer deaths and 87% of total lung cancer deaths. Lung cancer is difficult to treat and is usually diagnosed in advanced stage with extremely low survival rate. Many smokers suffer from chronic cough and excessive mucus for many years. One third of deaths in cardio-vascular and related diseases are caused by alcohol abuse. Alcohol abuse also increases the risk of many diseases: fatty liver degeneration, liver infections, liver cirrhosis, infections, sleep disorders, inflammation, premature dementia and various types of cancer. Alcohol also plays an important role in human aggression, with up to 40% of all events involving aggression occurring under the influence of alcohol. Domestic violence and public disturbance are also common. The impact of various drugs might also be harmful. Barbiturates and sedatives are the most commonly used prescription drugs. They can cause nausea, cramps and coma. Overdosing or mixing these medications with alcohol can have fatal consequences. Many people live in long-term stress. What is the impact of the cited risk factors on the emergence and progression of modern civilization diseases? How to eliminate these risk factors through ‘smart’ technology?

Specification of the issue
Many addictions are created and developed in the home environment. Not many people realize that regular drinking of alcohol, smoking or using different stimulants or drugs promotes the emergence of domestic addictions and the emergence of diseases. Unfavorable living conditions that cause long-term stressful situations also encourage the emergence of a wide range of diseases, including psychological ones.

Signs of the issue
Monitoring the development of cognitive functions to diagnose early stages of various illnesses, monitoring changes in behavior for early detection and development of dependencies necessary to seek medical help.

For questions or more information please contact rm-eventregistration@intl.att.com

Uranium is a chemical element found at low concentrations in all the environments. According to the International Commission on Radiological Protection, on average the human body contains up to 90 micrograms of uranium, of which approximately 70 micrograms is stored in the skeleton. Radon can bound to dust particles and then, once inhaled, remains in the lungs, where it may decay to other elements. An increased occurrence of radon also causes the risk of lung cancer and other associated respiratory diseases. Uranium-releasing radon increases the burden on the population and the surrounding environment. Presently, monitoring of the radiation power values in buildings in critical areas is completely absent in Slovakia, pointing to the need to regularly measure and implement effective measures to control its harmful effects in residential buildings and households. Consequently, it should be possible to set up prevention programs (minimum necessary preventive inspections, as is done in such cases abroad).

Specification of the issue
Monitoring the level of harmful substances in the domestic environment – domestic radiation power values – application development to link measured values from dosimeters to devices and regular monitoring of value development over time. Examining causality between the measured values and the health of the individual. Monitoring the level of pollutants in the air at school facilities (radiation power values) to develop an application indicating the need for ventilation at intervals determined by reaching limit values (room ventilation values are decreasing, critical limits in winter when households and equipment limit ventilation to a minimum and radiation power values are critical).

Signs of the issue
Focus on obtaining timely information on the harmful radon concentration in households as well as in other residential buildings. Constant measurement of radiation power values through dosimeters and their transfer to a system that evaluates them and sends them to a central control center. Examination of values during the day, monitoring of values after introducing elimination measures (long or frequent ventilation, etc.). Determination of optimal and critical values for the evaluation of monitored data, interconnection of monitoring results with the healthcare provider. (establishing prevention programs based on age groups – the most vulnerable children, seniors).

For questions or more information please contact rm-eventregistration@intl.att.com

Nowadays, almost a third of the EU population is aged 65 and above. It is estimated that the number of people over 80 will be almost tripled, up to 12% of the total population. Less people will be in working age, which will seriously jeopardize the functioning of health and social care system as well as the pensionary system. This problem is overlapping with all public policies, leading to the concept of active aging. Its purpose is to ensure that seniors have the control of their lives for longer, whether in terms of physical and mental health, independence, social relationships and the physical environment. It is important to create an environment for older people to actively participate in social and economic life. However, this requires the evaluation and employment of their knowledge, work and social potential.

Monitoring – obtaining health condition information of a person living alone

Many people have elderly relatives living alone who have to be self-dependent. The geographical distance and economic conditions of a regular, working individual do not allow him / her to visit their relative on a regular basis. The use of cell phones has many limitations, and in the case of various health disorders (forgetfulness, memory impairment, etc.), cannot guarantee error-free communication and health status monitoring. How to eliminate these disadvantages of cell phones? How to keep at least basic information about a person living in a remote location? Is your relative at home? Did they get out of bed today? Are they healthy? Are they keeping up to their daily regime? Is there a reason to call emergency services, police, neighbors? How to monitor potential negative changes in one’s lifestyle and how to make the most effective decisions? How to eliminate stress and have the oversight over an elderly person living in a distant, remote place?

Specification of the issue

• Exchange of information to organize the treatment processes for the elderly, monitoring their nursing and treatment needs
• supporting healthy lifestyle processes, monitoring everyday health status and sharing such information with target groups – family, doctors, community
• promoting the development of healthcare awareness, active and social leisure time
• instant retrieval of localization information of an elderly person living alone in geographically remote areas. An alternative solution to continuous monitoring of changes in lifestyle or behavior of a person when certain limitations (physical or medical) might arise, while sharing this information via mobile phone

Signs of the issue
Insufficient cultural and physical activity of seniors, geographical and social limitations of the elderly community activities. Mutual health and social care between healthy and impaired elderly individuals, support for the volunteer activities of seniors in the context of securing their work activities focused on mutual assistance, the creation of voluntary associations of seniors, etc.

Acknowledged issues

Task examples:

• Social communities for elderly citizen – supporting active aging process
• Motivating the elderly to socialize, communicate

Comments: Using sensors to monitor a person in their home – sensing and signaling weaker or no physical activity, detecting health deterioration, and extreme situations (death). Monitoring of medical compliance – setting up and using sensors monitoring doctor-prescribed treatment, lifestyle, movement. Monitoring the current health needs of people living alone, developing an application that reflects the requirements of the individual and linking them with available nursing services

For questions or more information please contact rm-eventregistration@intl.att.com

Impaired citizens generally have the same health care needs as everyone else. However, access to healthcare is extremely complicated. From a long-term monitoring of this situation on a global scale, we can only name some of the obstacles faced by impaired citizens: not every healthcare provider has the experience and resources adequate to take care of the needs of people with disabilities, with some providers refuse to provide such health care, while the healthcare system might treat such individuals unethically and inadequately. Attention is also paid to the financial side of healthcare. Up to half of people with disabilities cannot afford financially adequate healthcare. This prevents them from accessing proper treatment, healthcare, rehabilitation, and so on. This has the negative effect of them being unable to be independent as well as not knowing how to participate actively in the society.

Specification of the issue
Monitoring the health needs of people with disabilities, their interests and their networking, development of applications enabling the communication of impaired citizens among themselves with the aim of creating and using various voluntary and health programs, mutual support programs and assistance.

For questions or more information please contact rm-eventregistration@intl.att.com