Imaging and video technology for affordable health

摘要

In recent years, affordable health has been mostly focussed on telehealth, which is valued for providing health care, but also education and research, as well as supporting primary care physicians in remote areas. [1]. Examples of telehealth initiatives include portable low cost sensors/devices, such as mobile phone-based sensors for microscopy, but also for real-time monitoring of vital signs. Often these sensors acquire the data locally and transmit them on a network to a remote site for further processing and feedback. Telehealth initiatives also include the development of low cost frugal technology on a network, for example teleECG that senses on site and transmits to specialist centres, with the results of analysis and specialist advice returned to primary care physicians. Recent research in our group is focussed on offline image and video analysis that is compatible with frugal medical technology. Such developments will form the backbone of any affordable health system, particularly in large countries with isolated communities such as Australia and Brazil.