Save Time, Money, and Lives with Data Automation

Automation as a concept is a lot older than some may think… automatic control has been around for a long time. We can date it back to the 17th century with the creation of temperature control, steam engines and more! 

Obviously, living in the 21st century we have advanced a lot more. With great new technologies, we are not only able to create practical living situations, but also save lives within the health care sector. Today, we’ll be looking at how automation is changing the lives of many all over the world. 

The Healthcare Industry Summed Up

Before jumping into the tasks automation does, it’s important to understand how the healthcare industry has been functioning. Innovation in technology has helped to establish new and effective medicine, technological solutions for non-life threatening surgeries, and improved diagnostic aids. Of course, this is just a few great achievements within the masses of technological healthcare equipment. 

With every success though comes a challenge. One of the most prominent ones being quality and affordable healthcare, even in developed countries. The reasons for this are: 

Rising expenditures 

One of the largest portions of investments within the healthcare sector goes towards drug research and facilities, which results in massive hospital bills that make their way down to the patients. 

A study was conducted by Research Gate which showed that supply expense per patient in the United States was approximately a little over $4,000! This would be fine if each person had a health insurance plan or even a proper insurance plan for that matter, but unfortunately, this is not the case. 

With more complex procedures, the demand for medical devices increases while also increasing the bills. As mentioned, identifying research and development opportunities for medicinal drugs requires lots of cash. This is mainly due to the fact that large quantities of data need to be assessed and in turn, this requires lots of time and money. 

To be able to establish a balance between cost and health results, a consideration of multiple data variables must come into play. 

Appointment Scheduling 

Nearly 500 healthcare workers lost their income earnings due to canceled appointments. 

Other problems that occur are: 

• Lack of time to call patients

• Keeping patient contact information up to date

• No efficient ways to contact patients via text messaging applications 

• Lack of resources for reminders 

Security 

Patients willingly give up their private information to health care providers, including financial statuses and social security numbers. However, hackers are able to steal this information, causing a terrible security breach. 

Some of the highest data breach solutions cost around $400 for each patient record. In order to identify and restrict a breach from occurring, the time needed is a significant loss for the sector. Not to mention, the loss of reputation and trust from patients which can ultimately result in a loss of revenue. 

So, what is data automation? 

Data automation essentially replaces manual tasks with the use of information technology. Tasks that are repetitive in nature and require the least amount of human intervention ultimately benefit the most from automation. 

Data automation is a form of programming which handles storage, assimilation, and analysis of data. This process most often involves:

• Extraction: open data sources are evaluated and analyzed for relevant information. 

• Transformation: the data is converted into a program which is usable by machines.

• Loading: the data is put into the system to take place of raw material for the automation.

But wait...there’s more!

Big data automation (BDA) uses innovation and IT tools to create value. It assists with the reduction of manual labour during the process of collection and data analysis. Also, it reduces administrative work and improves patient healthcare.

Let’s Solve Your Problems with Data Automation 

So we’ve discussed data automation, BDA, and now we’re going to look at the robotic process automation (RPA), which is the next level within the automation realm. RPA uses machine learning and AI to complete tasks which would otherwise be done manually. It has immensely helped the healthcare industry. 

We mentioned above the 3 main challenges, now we’re going to provide you with solutions for all three: 

Rising Costs Solved 

A large sum of financial burdens within the health sector are due to growing demands for medical equipment and innovation costs for drug research. Scott Gottlieb (FDA commissioner) revealed a new budget plan which focused on modernizing drug and device production and using innovative practices to lower costs while advancing health needs. 

Data automation helps with this as it provides assistance in fast-tracking the assessment of safety and efficacy of medical drugs and devices. The data collection and analysis also plays a crucial role in drug discovery and new product functions. 

Appointment Scheduling Solved 

Do you know how much money and time would be saved if tasks like scheduling appointments and reminders were to be part of an automated process? Lots and lots of savings! There are multiple applications available which automate these tasks and have in turn given more time towards staff and resources allowing them to focus on the patients. 

The greatest features available on these apps: 

• Scheduling, booking, and cancelling appointments

• Feedback 

• Email or text message appointment notifications 

• Reporting to decrease cancellations and refine processes 

Security Issues Solved 

Most times, a manual error is the root cause for security breaches. However, when you replace manual work with data automation, the healthcare industry can ensure that these errors are minimal. Healthcare providers are now able to enable alerts, prioritize abnormal behaviour, and focus on monitoring all with the help of AI and automation. 

What else?

By using automation for diagnosis, predictive analysis, and recommendations, you’re able to ensure that the system will continuously operate in a way to detect and eliminate security issues. 

Although these three challenges are prominent within the healthcare world, they are not the only ones that arise. With that said, there are various forms of resolutions using data automation. Get in touch with us today to learn more about how you can save lives with data! 

Create a Great Mobile Experience with AR and AI

Enhanced Mobile Experience with AR & AI 

The combination of two highly advanced technological tools such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes the ultimate digital dream. When AI is incorporated into any type of AR application, that AR world benefits from the bridging of the two tools. 

The use of both AR and AI enables mobile app developers to create more captivating and interactive apps. Let’s take a look into the specifics and see how the combination of AR and AI can create something incredible… 

Complementing One Another 

If you’re sick and tired of having customer complaints, consider combining AR and AI to increase customer satisfaction (and decrease your stress)! Many companies are beginning to develop the latest and greatest mobile apps which will be integrated with AR and AI technology. 

After all, AR would not exist without AI. Although the two have distinct characteristics and technologies, they’re able to sync with each other on multiple apps and platforms. Each is able to leverage one another’s best features in order to build the best possible mobile experience.  

AI and AR go hand-in-hand as AI enables AR with its accessibility to a multidimensional interactive mode, along with the physical environment. With access to manipulate 2D and 3D virtual objects with your body language, eyes and words! 

It’s projected that within the next 5 years, AR apps will take off and grow to be more and more popular. This is why it is crucial to obtain the right software development kits (SDK) and application program interfaces (API), as without these, your technologies will find it hard to succeed. 

Which SDKs and APIs are Available Today? 

As SDK and API capabilities are continuously expanding, there are more commercial opportunities available to increase your business. Some examples being:

• Vuforia: AR SDK which allows app developers to build immersive and mobile-centric AR experiences. It can support both Android and iOS which permits brands to create apps with less technical risks. 

• ARCore: This is an AR SDK which is Google’s proprietary. Developers are able to run AR apps on mobile devices with the supporting iOS devices. Developers can build highly advanced AR experiences through the use of ARCore. 

• Core ML: This API is a machine learning platform which is used on Apple devices. It allows you to get real-time projections of live images on your mobile device. The real-time factor, along with its low latency are the two greatest advantages. To top it off, Core ML can be used without any network connection! 

• TensorFlow Lite: This open-source framework involves deep learning and it focuses on mobile interference. It enables developers to use their own custom models. 

A Few Ways to Combine AR and AI 

1. Speech recognition: AI listens to what you say, while AR makes that appear. For instance, if you say the word “bagel”, a virtual bagel will be present in front of you. 

2. Image tracking and image recognition: This method allows customers to see how an object would fit into a specific setting. With the combination of AR and AI, users can move photos of multiple items into a single image of a certain place and assist them in making their decision. A perfect example of where this can be used is: IKEA. 

3. Human pose estimation: This allows for the detection of human poses and figures while predicting the positions of one’s joints in a video or image. In turn, this technique can be used for controlling AR content. 

4. Education: As technology is making its way to schools, it allows students to obtain different perspectives through the use of virtual reality. Students are able to interact and visualize with 3D versions of a human body - what better way to teach science? 

5. Recognizing and labeling: If you take a camera and point it towards an image, an AR app is able to then display a label which indicates the object in the image when the technology recognizes it. 

6. Car recognition: While using a smartphone camera, customers can sit in a car and discover information about the car’s interior features. No need to download any app for this! 

7. Object detection: If you’re looking to detect the position and extent of certain objects that you’ve seen in images or videos, then you need to combine AR and AI technologies! This model allows an interaction between digital and physical objects, and of course it is mobile-friendly. 

Start Your Virtual Journey Today

If you’re looking to excel your business and satisfy your customer’s needs, then consider AR and AI combination technologies. Together, these tools will ameliorate mobile experiences with developers being able to design greater experiences and customers being able to gain more diverse perspectives. 

There are so many AR and AI applications, it can be difficult to choose just one! To learn more about how ISU Corp can help you create an amazing mobile experience for your business, get in touch with us today! 

How Data Analytics and IoT Can Help Grow Your Business

As our digital world continues to advance, we are seeing more and more technological tools coming into play. As such, it is inevitable that data and IoT go hand in hand with one another. Data is prominent in terms of consumption and production, growing at a fast pace with each passing day. 

With this increase in expansion, IoT is beginning to grow along with it, with approximately 30 billion IoT connected devices by the end of this year! 

What Exactly is IoT? 

It’s an interconnection of multiple devices, technologies, networks and human resources; all put together to achieve a shared goal. IoT-based applications have proved to provide benefits to the users, who have a wide span of applications to choose from, depending on which would suit each sector's needs. 

Data analytics play an important role in IoT as data is integrated into the technology. The data that’s generated from IoT devices can only produce value if it is analyzed properly. Data analytics is a process in which large and small data is examined with different modes of data tools in order to extract patterns, trends, and stats. 

Such results assist organizations in proactive rather than reactive planning. These conclusions allow a business to engage with the data while implementing effective decision-making for next steps. 

Positive Outcomes for Your Business 

By merging IoT with data analytics, you will certainly be striving for success! Analytics tools help your business comprehend and make use of their datasets. These 4 points will provide you with further explanation: 

• Volume: There is an immense amount of data that IoT applications stem from. Businesses using these resources need to manage these large amounts of data whilst analyzing the same dataset to configure patterns and trends within the data. This is why data analytics is beneficial, as this software can easily and efficiently analyze the data in real-time. 

• Structure: IoT devices have data sets that could potentially obtain a diverse structure system. Such as: unstructured, semi-structured and structured data sets. There could also be differences between the data types and formats - which can be analyzed by automated tools and software. 

• Revenue: Every business knows that insights are the way to go! And what better way to gain insight into your customers preferences than by using data analytics? Ultimately, this leads to offers and services in correlation with customer demands. As such, the revenue and profits gained will improve significantly for your organization. 

• Competition: When first starting out with IoT, you might be overwhelmed with the vast landscape of application developers and providers available to choose from. With data analytics, your time and money will be well spent. It will help your business gain a competitive advantage in the market. 

Now that we know why data analytics are beneficial for IoT, let’s look at the different types of data analytics: 

• Streaming Analytics: (also known as event stream processing) This form of analytics is prominent in analyzing large, real-time data sets. With streaming real-time data, you’re able to analyze critical situations and provide an immediate response. The types of IoT apps that would benefit most from this are: air fleet tracking, traffic analysis and financial transactions. 

• Spatial Analytics: This method is used for geographical analyzation through varying patterns found in data sets. By taking these geographic patterns, you’re able to see what the spatial relationship is between physical objects. This method is especially useful for location-based IoT apps like smart parking. 
  
  

• Time Series Analytics: With an evident name, this method focuses on time-based data to be analyzed for trends and patterns. If you’re using IoT apps such as weather forecasts and health monitoring, this analytics form will prove to be beneficial. 

• Perspective Analysis: This method combines descriptive and predictive data analysis. It helps your business understand what the next steps should be in terms of action for particular situations. The best form of IoT applications for this would be commercial ones, whereby this information would be inputted into your analytics tool to gain greater conclusive results. 

Climbing up the Ladder of Success 

These IoT investments strongly benefit from the application and use of data analytics, as it has been proven time and time again! With the constant technological advancements, there are always new areas in which data analytics is able to be applied in correspondence with IoT. 

For example, every business uses marketing to promote their products and reach out to their audience. Actionable marketing can be easily done with the application of data analytics to the product usage. Along with IoT analytics, which allows the safety and surveillance performances applicable through video sensors and data analytics methods. 

So, to sum everything up, data analytics assists IoT in improving revenues, gaining a competitive advantage and increasing customer engagement. 

Collaborating with ISU Corp will provide you with IoT and data analytical leverage. Contact us today to learn more!