The Indonesian Health Minister, Budi G. Sadikin, recently met with billionaire Elon Musk to discuss a potential collaboration in delivering internet access to puskesmas, or community health centres, in underserved areas of the country. Out of more than 10,000 puskesmas, around 2,200 still lack internet access. The minister emphasized the importance of adequate infrastructure for these health centres, stating that with internet access, they can conduct health service consultations and remote training for health workers online. Elon Musk’s SpaceX, known for its satellite internet constellation Starlink, which provides low-cost internet to remote locations, may be a potential partner for this initiative.
South Korean Rural County Deploys Doll-Shaped Robots for Solo-Living Seniors
A rural county in South Korea’s eastern province has carried out a trial of doll-shaped robotic companions for seniors living alone. Developed by local startup Hyodol, the robot named Sunshine builds emotional intimacy with its users while also monitoring their conditions. It offers a personalized notification service, including reminders for taking medication or waking up. In case of emergencies, the robot can directly contact the user’s caregiver or family members. Additionally, it provides entertainment with quizzes and music. After a successful trial involving 15 selected seniors, Cheongsong County plans to expand the deployment of Sunshine robots to more solo-living seniors. The current population of the county consists of 41% individuals aged 65 and above. Sunshine robots were previously adopted to assist aged care residents with mild dementia at a public health center in Yeoncheon, a county in the Gyeonggi Province.
Redcliffe Labs Adopts Abbott’s AlinIQ Big Data CDS Tool
Redcliffe Labs, an Indian diagnostic service provider, is rolling out Abbott’s newly launched big data Clinical Decision Support (CDS) tool called AlinIQ. As the first diagnostic service provider in India to adopt this tool, Redcliffe Labs aims to utilize its big data and AI capabilities to automatically deliver easy-to-interpret insights and recommendations to clinicians. The AlinIQ CDS tool aims to enhance clinical decision-making by leveraging the power of data and artificial intelligence.
