Breathing New Life into Pulmonary Medicine
Artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) are changing every industry on the planet. Healthcare is just one example of technology disrupting and improving a market sector.
Pulmonary medicine, for example, is changing drastically thanks to AI and IoT, with digital remote patient monitoring (RPM) devices already improving patient outcomes. With innovative products from leading technology companies, how we monitor lung health and respond to breathing issues may never be the same.
Key Statistics: Respiratory Illness and Death
Pulmonary disease is one of the most prevalent health concerns in the world. Lung issues can take many forms, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, lung cancer, pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, sleep apnea, and more. All of these problems have one thing in common: they make it frighteningly hard to breathe.
According to the Centers for Disease Control1, 4.6% of all American adults have been diagnosed with COPD, emphysema, or chronic bronchitis. In 2021 alone, COPD caused roughly 791,000 visits to emergency departments across the country. During the same year, there were 142,342 deaths in the country, making it the sixth most-common cause of death in the U.S.
Globally, respiratory illness statistics can be even more frightening. The World Health Organization2 says COPD is the third-leading cause of death worldwide. In low- and middle-income countries, 90% of COPD deaths occur in people under 70 years old. In India, the most populous country3 in the world, COPD is the second-largest killer.
This issue has created a need for digital pulmonary devices to help those affected return some normalcy to their breathing.
The Market for Digital Pulmonary Devices
The global market segment for pulmonary devices is huge. According to Future Market Insights4, the pulmonary devices market reached $1.4 billion in value in 2023. It’s already large and expected to grow. The market will reach $3.8 billion by 2023, meaning a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 10.3% over the next ten years.
This growth is caused by an “increased general consciousness of the dangers of lung cancer,” as well as the importance of early treatment, which AI-powered pulmonary devices can support.
Most of the activity in this market is occurring in North America. This is because of the continuous development of innovative products from the United States and Canada.
Innovations in Digital Pulmonary Medicine
Emerging digital pulmonary devices will change how we prevent, diagnose, and treat respiratory conditions. Here are some of the ways companies are taking on pulmonary disease:
Inspire
Sleep apnea devices like Inspire5 provide a small device that goes inside patients’ bodies and opens their airways by sending a gentle pulse. This device eliminates the need for hoses and masks and is controlled by a remote that patients and their doctors can configure based on the patient’s needs. Sleep apnea patients can resume breathing normally while getting a better night’s rest.
100Plus
Pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, and COVID-19 are just some of the respiratory illnesses the RPM Pulse Oximeter from 100Plus can detect6. This cellular-connected device measures oxygen saturation and irregularities in the bloodstream. It will then send the data to the patient’s provider so they can receive better care between visits.
ResApp
Some applications, such as ResApp, have been created to diagnose and manage respiratory illnesses using only a smartphone7. ResApp uses machine learning to analyze the sounds of a cough or breathing and match them to a large database of sound recordings with known clinical diagnoses. This removes the need for in-person visits and is more accurate than a stethoscope.
CapMedic
90% of patients with asthma fail to use their inhaler correctly, meaning most of the drug doesn’t reach the lungs and treat the patient effectively8. CapMedic simplifies this process with a smart medical cap that goes over the top of an inhaler and guides the patient with lights and sounds on how to use the inhaler. It can connect to your smart device and share your data directly with health providers, ensuring you are treating your respiratory symptoms efficiently.
Issues and Concerns with AI-Powered Pulmonary Devices
The technology behind digital pulmonary devices is advancing rapidly, but there are still concerns with digital pulmonary devices.
New technology, regardless of the type, will have issues. AI-supported pulmonary devices are no different. The European Respiratory Review9 says that one concern is “iatrogenic risk.” Essentially, the issue is that a small error in the data could be amplified into thousands, even millions, of misdiagnoses.
The confidentiality and security of medical data is also an issue. The risk of revealing patient identity is real, and many will avoid adopting the technology until these issues are settled.
Despite these concerns, manufacturers are consistently finetuning and adjusting these innovations to record the most accurate data for pulmonary disease diagnosis and build a better and more secure architecture that keeps the patient’s data and personal information safe.
The Future of Digital Pulmonary Devices
The transformation in digital remote patient monitoring devices will continue improving the outcomes for pulmonary disease patients. More patients will be able to receive better in-home care without the need for a doctor’s visit, improving efficiency and reducing barriers to healthcare for everyone.
How Ambiq is Contributing
Remote patient monitoring devices that can diagnose pulmonary illnesses and analyze data is a power-hungry task. These devices will require a reliable source of power to become practical for patients and their care providers. Ambiq provides a range of ultra-low power system-on-chip (SoC) solutions built on the patented Subthreshold Power Optimization Technology (SPOT ®) platform that dramatically reduces the power consumption of computer inferencing on remote-powered devices by 10X. The future of pulmonary medicine begins here.
References
1 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Includes: Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema | September 14, 2023
2 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) | March 16, 2023
3 India overtakes China to become world’s most populous country | April 24, 2023
4 Pulmonary Devices Market Snapshot (2023-3033) | May 2023
5 Inspire Sleep Apnea Innovation – Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment
6 Pulse Oximeter | Remote Monitoring Devices | 100Plus | 2023
7 Chronic Respiratory Disease – ResApp Health | 2023
8 CapMedic – Simplifying Respiratory Care by Correct And Regular Inhaler Use (capmedicinhaler.com) | 2023
9 Artificial intelligence in pulmonary medicine: computer vision, predictive model and COVID-19 | August, 20, 2020
The world produces enough food today to feed roughly 7 billion people on the planet. Still, as the population is expected to expand by another 2 billion people in 2050, it’s estimated that global crop production will need to increase by another 60% to feed everyone1.
Today, problems such as food waste, labor shortage, and climate change already pose significant hurdles that challenge meeting this demand. Waste from plant disease and pest infestation is roughly 20% to 40% of global food production annually, contributing to $290 billion each year2.
A global assessment of the planet’s land resources found that a quarter of the land is already highly degraded, and 8% has moderate degradation because of climate change3. Water consumption will become a critical issue for farmers as they must be mindful of this diminishing resource while continuing to produce nutritious food to feed a growing population.
To offset some of these challenges, the agriculture industry is turning to innovation in artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IoT). The use of AI can help farmers become data-driven and ease some of the physical demands of farming, save money, and produce larger, high-quality yields, maximizing land and resources efficiently.
The Market Share of AI in Agriculture
87% of agricultural businesses in the US were reported to be using AI technology at the end of 2021, a 73% adoption increase over the previous year4, giving validity to the use of this emerging technology as a vital tool for production and sustainability.
Mordor Intelligence reports that the AI market in agriculture is valued at $1.7 billion for 2023 and is expected to reach $4.7 billion by 2028, a CAGR of 22.55%5.
Popular adoption of this technology can be credited to the intuitive and data-driven applications that give farmers insights to make effective decisions even if they are not experts on things like plant disease or soil quality.
Real-World Agtech Examples
In the US alone, nearly 200 AI-based agricultural startups have emerged to solve production problems6. Here are just a few examples of companies utilizing AI technology to help farmers:
FarmVibes.AI
A data-based platform from Microsoft, FarmerVibes.AI8 extracts data from multiple sources, such as sensors, satellites, and aerial imagery, to piece together a coherent picture of farmland. Farmers can use this data to identify the long-term sustainability of soil and water in an area — such as land with topsoil erosion or waterways that retain water from floods or rainfall. This allows the farmers to plant and utilize land in a way that gives them the best return in production and resources.
Dimitra
This global Agtech company9 is on a mission to help smallholder farmers who produce crops on a limited scale. Dimitra partners with governments, agencies, NGOs, and for-profit organizations to make its “Connected Farmer” platform available to developing nations for free. Built on blockchain technology, the app uses mobile technology, IoT devices, drone and satellite imagery, advanced farming research, and genomics. Their data-driven approach helps farmers reduce expenses, mitigate risks, and increase yield from their crops.
John Deere
This well-known name in farming10 leverages satellite imagery to monitor crops more effectively, assess field conditions, and improve resource allocation for better crop yields. Using space-based data, Deere’s solutions can measure variations in plant health, nutrient levels, and soil moisture, helping farmers make data-driven decisions around crop protection, fertilization, and irrigation.
Moreover, the company launched its first fully autonomous tractor, a product of 20 years of AI development. Farmers can operate the vehicle remotely by tablet, and it can prepare up to 325 acres in 24 hours, allowing farmers to shift time and resources to other tasks.
Concerns in AI-Assisted Farming
The advancement of AI in meeting the demands of the global food supply also raises important ethical questions.
Replacement of Workers
Innovators must balance technological progress with the welfare and livelihood of farming workers, many of whom are already vulnerable and dependent on low-skilled jobs. Ensuring a just transition for displaced workers, offering retraining programs, and addressing the socioeconomic inequalities that may arise from AI-driven automation are essential considerations.
Tech Learning Curves
Farmers — especially those in resource-strapped regions — must have equitable access to training and support to effectively harness these innovations. Failure to address this concern could exacerbate disparities in agricultural productivity and income, disadvantaging vulnerable farming communities.
Costly Investments
The high up-front costs of new technologies could exacerbate problems of exclusivity and inequality, putting an undue burden on small-scale and marginalized farmers who may struggle to afford such innovations.
The Promise of AI in Agriculture
The problems threatening the future of global food production are considerable. Integrating AI technologies can help by conserving water and fertilizer, increasing crop yields, preventing disease and pest infestations, and reducing food waste and greenhouse gas emissions through localization and improved supply chain efficiencies. By employing AI solutions with ethical considerations and equity in mind, startups, and established companies can expand access to these technologies to small farmers and developing nations, helping to meet the growing global demand for nourishment.
How Ambiq is Contributing
Collecting data from a variety of sources such as a smart sensor that analyzes data or acts as a connection point for other IoT devices will require reliable inferencing power that doesn’t drain battery life. Ambiq ultra-low power Subthreshold Power Optimization Technology (SPOT ®) platform and variety of systems-on-chip (SoCs), are a proven solution for sensors and endpoint devices that need to do more while consuming less. They are at the core of AI capable lithium battery powered devices that can go weeks, months, or even years on a single charge.
References
1 Is There Enough Food for the Future? | 2023
2 Researchers Helping Protect Crops From Pests | National Institute of Food and Agriculture (usda.gov) | February 6, 2023
3 Land degradation and water shortages threaten global food production – UN | UN News | November 28, 2011
4 87% of US agriculture businesses are currently using AI – AgriNews | December 6, 2021
5 AI Market Size & Share Analysis – Industry Research Report – Growth Trends (mordorintelligence.com) | 2023
6 How AI is Cropping Up in the Agriculture Industry | February 2, 2023
7 Fermata | AI Pest and Disease Detection for Agriculture | 2023
8 FarmVibes.AI – Microsoft Research | October 6, 2022
9 Dimitra | 2023
10 John Deere | 2023
Join Ambiq’s Senior Bluetooth Field Application Expert, Allen Xu an online webinar (in Chinese).
Allen has over ten years of experience in the semiconductor industry, supporting the mass production of smartwatch and wristband projects for major clients such as Huawei, OPPO, and Xiaomi.
Discussion topics will include:
- Introduction to Apollo4 Blue Lite EVB and SDK
- Bluetooth® Application Scenarios Analysis
- Power System and Power Consumption Measurement
Date: September 19, 2023
Location: Online
Personal gaming has evolved dramatically over the years. From the days of wired controllers and low-resolution screens to today’s wireless devices and AR and VR technologies, personal gaming now offers a tantalizing array of immersive features that were once unimaginable.
Today’s wireless controllers have revolutionized personal gaming, providing players with greater flexibility and freedom of movement. Additionally, the rise of Bluetooth® technology has made it possible to connect multiple devices wirelessly, allowing for a more streamlined gaming experience.
With the introduction of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), personal gaming has rocketed to new heights with brands like Pokemon GO and No Man’s Sky. Also, portable gaming devices such as the Facebook Oculus Quest, Sony PlayStation Vita, and the Nintendo Switch are equipped with motion sensors, enabling gamers to actively engage with others in physical activities like tennis, golf, and bowling. As a result, personal gaming has become infinitely more social, allowing gamers to connect with each other both in-person and online.
Of course, as the gaming experience improves, the need for better technology grows.
Offering more processing capability and longer battery life in gaming devices and wearable accessories, Ambiq® is leading the way in enabling a more immersive gaming experience. For example, Ambiq’s Apollo3 Blue SoC is helping enable the battery-free Game Boy to play Tetris® with its patented Subthreshold Optimized Technology (SPOT®) platform.
The Apollo3 Blue SoC sets a new standard in energy efficiency for battery-powered devices with an integrated Arm® Cortex®-M4 processor with Floating Point Unit (FPU) and turboSPOT®, increasing the computational capabilities of the Arm Cortex-M4F core to 96 MHz while lowering the active power consumption to < 6μA/MHz. This combination dramatically reduces energy consumption while still enabling abundant application processing power.
