Some artificial intelligence (AI) systems can already
perform certain tasks as well as or even better than humans, for example,
machine learning models that interpret diagnostic imaging studies – like what
radiologists do – although the former can do the interpretation in seconds or
much faster.
What about voice AI? This
technology is expected to change the way we interface with machines and,
consequently, how humans interact with each other. Tech giants such as Amazon,
Google and Apple have come out with voice-activated gadgets that are now
catching on in people's daily lives.
Meanwhile, Mycroft, the Kansas City-based voice platform company, has
announced an open source voice-activated private assistant, The Mark II. This
portable speaker, the company says, is designed for everyday users with varying
levels of technical expertise. Mark II’s privacy, customisation, user agency
and open data capabilities differentiate this product from other proprietary
voice assistants currently available on the market, according to Mycroft.
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There is also extensive development underway
to bring voice technology fully into healthcare. Some leading hospitals are
already forging how patients experience healthcare with voice AI. According to
John Loughnane, MD, chief of clinical innovation at Commonwealth Care Alliance,
the industry is on the verge of voice technologies that can be used to tailor
individualised care regimens.
"Healthcare
is at a tipping point with voice," said John Brownstein, chief innovation
officer at Boston Children's Hospital. "We haven't seen it transform any
industries. Healthcare could be a leading vertical in voice apps." Brownstein further said that voice could play
a role in the entire patient journey beginning with voice interactions in the
home or chatbots at triage, to cite just two examples.
UPMC Enterprises Executive Vice President Dr.
Shivdev Rao said 75 to 80 percent of the signal in a hospital is voice-driven.
Dr. Rao added that at UPMC, capturing metadata of a patient's history could
help clinicians understand when someone is coming in with chest pain caused by
acid reflux rather than a heart attack.
For her part, Sara Holoubek, CEO of Luminary Labs, called 2018, the year
of the voice tech pilot. "We're in this extensive period of trial and
error," she said.
There are
growing pains to be endured, according to tech experts, who advised hospitals
and tech developers to anticipate and plan for some stumbling as
proofs-of-concept fizzle out and pilot programmes fail to make it into
production.
Source: Healthcare IT News
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