Acceptance and Quality of Service Evaluation of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)

"The Internet of Things (IoT) is a technology that interconnects devices both with the internet and each other. Devices with built-in sensors are linked to an IoT platform, which acts as a hub for exchanging and connecting data from various devices and their surroundings. Through the application of analytics and artificial intelligence (AI), this technology is adept at addressing specific needs, analysing valuable information, identifying trends, making recommendations, and even predicting potential issues.
Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) is a subset of IoMT and comprises sensors and electronic components that efficiently collect physiological signals, processing units for signal analysis, network devices for data transmission, storage units, and visualization platforms enhanced with AI techniques. This is done on wearable devices allowing for real-time remote monitoring and assistance with valuable insights that traditional measures cannot offer.
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the pivotal role of IoMT in healthcare due to increased demand for medical services. Furthermore, the ageing population is increasing quickly. The accompanying diseases of ageing increase the strain on carers and the requirement for additional medical care makes it more difficult for older individuals to be left alone, which increases the number of admissions to care facilities as the elderly are finding it increasingly difficult to live independently.
Combining AI and IoMT in healthcare can enhance operational efficiency leading to a patient-centric approach. IoMT can also empower elderly individuals, especially those living alone, by offering remote monitoring, assistance, and protection to promote greater independence and an improved quality of life.
Inexpensive consumer-grade wearable devices have become a point of interest in healthcare research. The biggest concerns of these devices are their usability, acceptance, interoperability, scalability, and security. While research in this domain is growing, much of it specifically focuses on advancing the technological aspects of these devices. Studies have revealed that compared to other IoT applications; the healthcare sector has exhibited a slower adoption rate of IoMT.
While modern systems are user-friendly, older individuals may struggle with complex technologies and require more time to adapt. Designing IoT-based healthcare systems with consideration for behavioural analysis can help address this challenge, but gauging user acceptance remains difficult.
Additionally, issues concerning the usability and acceptability of health monitoring, especially in IoMTs designed for biosignal monitoring, where data losses can significantly affect system quality and the quality of service (QoS), have not been explored extensively.
The primary objective of this research centres on improving the acceptance and usability of the wearable devices in the elderly population to monitor activity or provide assistance in real-time. Initially, the existing compatible wearable devices will be analysed to evaluate the possibilities of enhancing the functionality to improve usability and acceptance. Participants in care facilities or other facilities will be invited for the initial study. Wearable usage frequency and individual preferences will be recorded for analysis. The analysis findings from phase-I will be applied in phase-II design to improve the usability and acceptance of the wearable. AI/ML models would also be developed for real-time analysis and to detect any anomalies in the acquired data.
Research in this field holds immense importance, as it can inform the design and implementation of IoMT solutions tailored to the needs of the elderly who require advanced assistive technologies. Such advancements have the potential to improve healthcare and the quality of life for elderly individuals and aid in identifying potential obstacles and opportunity for the application of IoMT solutions in elderly care.