Verily, life science division of GoogleX and also an Alphabet subsidiary has developed a special gadget, Connectivity Bridge. The gadget collects and syncs medical information of people participating in clinical studies.
The connectivity bridge has been revealed through a filing with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Tuesday. Images of the gadget provide an early glimpse into the mix of innovative hardware and big data analysis. Verily has developed the gadget to gain a foothold in the competitive healthcare business, reports Silicon Valley Business Journal.
Sensors placed inside the box-like device are capable of collecting patient data and sending it to the cloud for analysis. The device may be installed in medical facilities and homes. It is being used to provide sensor data analysis in a multiple sclerosis (MS) studies with Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, according to a report published in the Business Insider.
Participants in the study may use the connectivity bridge to submit their data. This may be especially more helpful to the participants who don't have access to the internet through smart phones or laptops. The device may also have uses across the Google launched Baseline Study to accumulate anonymous data for defining a healthy human. Verily has released a suite of Study Kit apps last year to help baseline participants sharing their health information and habits with researchers on a routine basis. The Verily developed device offers a number of connectivity options including cellular, wireless a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth and NFC technologies. It allows medical devices to interface with through multiple ways. The new gadget is capable of using open source software and allows users to charge and sync their Study Kit devices via a USB cable, reports IoT Hub. The lone known general use of the new Verily device is an experimental health-tracking wristband, according to a Google discussion. The wristband is capable of measuring pulse, skin temperature and skin information like noise levels. Google has been reportedly developing software to help researchers securely store, analyze and interpret data from the wristbands with the connectivity bridge. However, all the health data of the participants will be made anonymous before sharing with Google. Through the new gadget, Verily upholds its goal to shift the focus from intervention to prevention.
Join the Conversation