Ambler, PA – June 4, 2014 - On June 11, 2014, Moberg will present its Smart ICU project during the concluding event of the SmartAmerica Challenge. SmartAmerica is a White House Presidential Innovation Fellow project with the goal of facilitating research in Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) – also termed the “Internet of Things.” Moberg will demonstrate concepts for a Smart ICU in which each room is a system of “connected things.” The Smart ICU has the potential to save lives, increase safety, reduce costs to healthcare and society, and create high-tech job growth when used to optimize care of persons with brain injuries.
Brain injuries are among the most complicated and costly medical problems. Each year, there are approximately 130,000 deaths from stroke and 50,000 from traumatic brain injury. The cost for head injured patients in the United States is approximately $76 billion per year (Centers for Disease Control, 2010). The highest costs to society are incurred when patients have poor outcomes and require life-long medical treatment. Optimizing care in the first hours and days can make a significant difference in patient outcome and healthcare costs.
Moberg’s SmartAmerica initiative will connect the Smart Neuro ICU to other Smart Systems to optimize care by providing early diagnosis and treatment, context aware patient routing, and advanced individualized patient management. Connected systems will include an emergency neuro response system that focuses on the brain, smart cities and transportation grids, healthcare information systems, and smart hospitals. Moberg will work with a variety of partners to create the system including industry, academia, government, and non-profits.
The first Smart Neuro ICU is currently under development at the University Hospital Zurich, under the direction of Dr. Emanuela Keller. Making treatment decisions for neurological patients requires the interpretation of large, complex data sets. Therefore, every second, a huge amount of clinical data are generated and visualized on different monitors in the ICU. In the Smart Neuro ICU, products from Moberg’s CNS line will serve an important role as the data integration system. Moberg’s products will collect and time-synchronize physiologic patient data from many diverse sources and then display the information at the bedside and remotely to assist caregivers with decision making.
In addition to collaborating with Moberg, Dr. Keller’s team partnered with IBM Innovation Center Zurich to develop real-time analytic capabilities to help interpret data collected by the CNS products. Learning algorithms and artificial intelligence tools will supply early alarm systems and treatment recommendations. Insight from data mining and cognitive computing can improve daily clinical practice and provide enormous potential for clinical studies and further scientific evidence.
The University Hospital Zurich’s Smart Neuro ICU will be one of the most advanced facilities of its kind in terms of how patient data is viewed, managed, and utilized. As more is learned about the complexity of the brain, it is clear that a “one size fits all” treatment approach, in which all patients receive the same care, is not optimal for neurological injuries. Healthcare professionals realize the necessity of more precise treatment plans individualized for each patient. The comprehensive data collection of the Moberg system coupled with advanced analytics will enable physicians to provide this individualized care.
Sites for Smart Neuro ICUs in the U.S. have been identified and will be operational in 2015. Support for Moberg’s Smart ICU R&D has been received from the Department of Defense.
About SmartAmerica
The SmartAmerica Expo will attract policymakers, politicians, and corporate leadership to the Washington DC Convention Center to view the 24 “Internet of Things” projects demonstrated by more than 100 organizations. Dedicated sessions will cover four major sectors: Healthcare, Transportation, Energy, and Disaster Response. During the Expo, SmartAmerica leaders from the National Institute of Standards and Technology hope to find organizations to nurture regional and market-specific efforts beyond the June gathering.
The SmartAmerica Challenge aims to demonstrate the potential for Cyber-Physical Systems to create tangible and measurable benefits to the US economy and the daily lives of Americans by enhancing safety, sustainability, efficiency, mobility and overall quality of life. The program began in December 2013 when more than 65 participants quickly formed teams to collaborate on solutions. Their efforts will culminate at the SmartAmerica Expo on June 11, 2014 at the Washington DC Convention Center. The event will include keynote speakers from the White House, including Todd Park, United States Chief Technology Officer, and speakers from government agencies, including GSA, DOT, DHS, HHS, DOD and DOC. Participants will demonstrate projects and technologies throughout the all-day event. Registration for the SmartAmerica Expo is free but required. Register at www.smartamerica.org.
About Moberg Research, Inc.
Moberg Research, Inc. is a privately owned medical device manufacturing company specializing in neurological patient monitoring solutions for acute care. Moberg Research was founded in 1998 and is located in Ambler, PA in the greater Philadelphia area. For more information visit www.moberg.com.