The IoT or Internet of Things sector is estimated to exhibit tremendous growth and is expected to reach €1.35T by 2025. Seeing how the world grows more connected with numerous new smart devices, this forecast might very well turn out to be true. To give a push to the IoT segment, especially during COVID-19, the European Commission has launched a next-generation IoT environments project called IntellIoT, which is worth €8M.
IntellIoT to enable implementation of next-gen technologies
COVID-19 has stressed the healthcare systems worldwide, which highlighted the need for new technologies to combat the problem. Remote operation using biometric sensors and remote health assistance can enable monitoring patients without the need for close proximity consultation or hospital visits. This can be accomplished via new technologies and IntellIoT is a project that aims to accomplish this very vision, which is set by the European Commision.
The €8M project comprises a consortium of 13 partners from 9 countries, which will implement autonomous IoT-systems. These systems will be closer to the end users or patients, which are expected to receive instantaneous healthcare advice without transferring large data to central premises. This move is expected to help with the current coronavirus crisis and in case there are any such outbreaks in the future.
“There is however a need to rethink healthcare in light of this pandemic,” says Rolf Riemenschneider, Head of Sector for Internet of Things at the European Commission. “Accelerated through Covid-19, IoT applications now need to look beyond connecting a variety of different wearable devices, by adding intelligence, autonomy and security to the IoT edge node, close to the users.”
IntellIoT becomes one of 6 RIAs initiated by EC in 2020
IntellIoT is one of the six research and innovation actions (RIA) initiated by the European Commission in 2020. The goal of the RIAs is to develop innovations and collaborations by concentrating on “Next–Generation Internet of Things” powered by 5G, designating a €47.9M EU budget to these RIAs. IntellIoT, an RIA, features up to 13 partners, including the University General Hospital of Heraklion, which has been tested throughout the pandemic.
IntellIoT will leverage latest tech such as 5G, cybersecurity, distributed computing, augmented reality, and tactile internet in the next three years. This is aimed to help healthcare professionals and establishments work more efficiently and with greater insight. One of the specific use cases here will be remote care of cardiovascular diseased patients. Remote care is expected to mitigate unneeded hospitalisations, relieving stress on hospitals and reducing healthcare costs.
Offering advanced healthcare via IoT
The new project is also aimed to deliver convenient advanced healthcare. The new application of IoT tech is said to enable autonomous health monitoring while preserving patients’ data privacy and security. Patients will also be able to partake in rehabilitation programs. This will be managed via use of sensors and devices that won’t be limited to a patient’s home or to the hospital for enabling rehabilitation. This method can help faster rehabilitation in a safer environment and remote treatment for reducing infection risks.
Under the new special healthcare project, University General Hospital of Heraklion will collaborate with experts from health technology company Philips. The aim here will be to develop AI algorithms to support existing diagnostic healthcare devices and sensors, and to evaluate new tech architectures with end-users, such as patients and medical experts in realistic environments at the hospital.
These new technologies could enable future hospitals to have intelligent devices that autonomously conduct health monitoring and interventions. This new project will also offer opportunities to SMEs and startups, which can receive up to €150,000 to execute pilot projects alongside the 13 consortia partners, in order to apply the IntellIoT technology, improve their products and services, and create new jobs.
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