Next-gen care: AI spots early signs of health decline
CategoriesSustainable News

Next-gen care: AI spots early signs of health decline

Spotted: An ageing population, combined with the potential growth of dementia, is contributing to the immense pressure being put on the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). Part of the challenge lies in the high numbers of vulnerable people admitted to A&E, who are then kept in hospital while a suitable care home is found, or homecare support is organised.  

Remote monitoring technologies help care teams quickly respond to emergencies and often provide a life-saving service. Physiotherapist Louise Rogerson and data scientist Jonathan Burr wanted to find a way to prevent some of those emergency admissions by deploying smart home care earlier and in more detail. The co-founders built Howz, a smart home care monitoring system that works to prevent falls and other injuries by identifying slight changes in a patient’s behaviour.  

Using artificial intelligence (AI), a motion sensor, smart plug, door sensor, and hub, Howz’s package helps carers track energy use and at-home movements. The AI quickly establishes a base routine for each patient and uses that information to identify early behavioural changes and capability that indicate a possible need for social care support. Those early alerts – such as no electric kettle use that day – help social care teams and family carers spot and react to small changes that may otherwise go unseen with current home care monitoring systems, before a more serious accident can occur.  

It takes only minutes to install the Howz system and data is available instantly via the app for individual carers and healthcare professionals. Howz provides round-the-clock monitoring and a care dashboard for those in charge of multiple patients. At the same time, privacy is an essential part of the system. No personal data is collected, and the main account holder can add or delete permissions for those using the app. Results show that the use of Howz reduces emergency admissions by 32 per cent and the risk of care home admission by 42 per cent. 

From Parkinson’s to mental health, Springwise’s library includes a variety of innovations using AI to provide customised, timely healthcare interventions.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

AI spots defects in textile production
CategoriesSustainable News

AI spots defects in textile production

Spotted: The fashion industry has been in for a lot of criticism over its poor environmental record – and with good reason. Textile production makes up 10 per cent of global carbon emissions and produces more than 20 per cent of global wastewater. Luckily, awareness of these issues is leading to innovations that are driving change in the sector.

One of the companies working to make textiles greener is Smartex, which has developed a suite of software tools that make fabric production more efficient. Smartex’s Core platform uses cameras, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning to make fabric production more efficient. The system identifies defects before they can create waste, aids in article management, and creates digital twins of textile rolls produced, among other features.

At the same time, the company’s more recently unveiled Loop platform provides suppliers with precise data down to each roll of fabric, enabling greater transparency across the supply chain. The result is much greater efficiency and communication between suppliers and brands – all of which reduce waste.

The increased interest in making fashion more sustainable means there is a big demand for this type of platform. Smartex completed a $24.7 million (around €23 million) series A funding round in 2022, building on a $2.9 million (around €2.7 million) seed round in 2019.

Smartex’s Taylor Bradley told Springwise that the company “will continue to tackle enormous, pervasive problems across the global textile industry by providing tailored AI, software and hardware solutions which will help the industry become modernised and digitised. Our goal is to provide essential tools for every Modern Textile Factory.”

The fashion industry has been working to improve its environmental track record with a wide number of innovations. In the archive, Springwise has also spotted 3D weaving to reduce textile waste and leather alternatives made from brewing waste.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference