The University of Johannesburg  has developed a device that will monitor patients' health conditions.

The device called e-mutakalo (Venda for health) is able to collect, process and analyse real-time vital signs data.

Wesley Doorsamy, an associate professor and researcher at UJ’s Institute for Intelligent Systems (IIS), said the device can automatically detect problems and alert medical staff in the event of an emergency.

“The device brings together technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) to make a real impact in society. It allows for a more natural and unobtrusive approach to continuous monitoring and observation of patients, as it works on the principle of non-invasive monitoring. It uses wireless sensor nodes, ambient intelligence techniques to monitor the patient’s comfort and condition and it is able to detect and diagnose problems,” Doorsamy said.

The device comes at a time when the healthcare industry is undergoing many changes that pose new challenges to both large and smaller healthcare establishments. A shortage of skilled staff and budget shortfalls have also been a growing concern in the healthcare industry, with an ever-increasing number of in-patients in hospitals and elderly care facilities.

Doorsamy said this device is especially needed for patients requiring medical attention while healthcare practitioners or care providers are not attending to them. 

“This device has in-built capability to automatically alert the responsible medical staff, treating doctor and others. It could be deployed for home-care purposes, allowing people/patients to stay at home rather than in expensive healthcare facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes, as it provides an efficient and cost-effective alternative to on-site clinical monitoring. Accurate recording of patient data and seamless sharing amongst care providers, doctors and other healthcare providers is also possible through the system,” Doorsamy said.