Technology takes knife to delay in operations

Two Cambridge technology companies, Ubisense and Cambridge Consultants Limited (CCL), have joined forces to develop a revolutionary new technology which aims to improve patient care in hospitals and reduce the number of cancelled operations. The technology is positioned to help the administrative burden that can block the efficient running of healthcare providers. In the US alone, 90,000 patients die each year of improper medication as a result of clerical error, incomplete, and or inaccurate patient record information, and is the 8th leading cause of death.

By being able to accurately tag and track valuable resources within a hospital, such as patients and their medical records, the new technology is expected to reduce both administrative confusion and delays to surgical procedures. The system works through the use of the emerging technology of Local Positioning Systems (LPS).

Ubisense’s LPS system uses networked base stations to accurately track, in real time, the location of credit card sized ‘tags’, which are carried by people or attached to objects such as a patient’s medical records. The system, enabled using CCL’s ultra wide band (UWB) radio-location technology, is capable of identifying the position of a tag to within just 15cm (6in).

There are many applications for LPS within healthcare. Staff, patients, records and assets in a hospital can all be tracked in real time, and record keeping and workflow can be significantly simplified. For example, by attaching Ubitags to patient record folders, the number of lost patient records can be reduced. Because Ubisense can track the records accurately in real time, it can display their exact location on a map, whether they are beside the patient’s bed, on a desk, or in an in-tray. The Ubisense system can also detect and respond immediately when records arrive in a department or when a patient leaves a ward without their records. Knowing exactly where the records are means fewer patients arriving for surgery without their records, fewer delays in treatment, and greater patient safety.

Ubisense awarded the development contract for the new technology to CCL due to their unique ultra-wide band technology developed over the past twenty years. CCL has used similar technology over this period to develop one of the world’s most accurate missile scoring systems. The same technology is currently being evaluated for the next generation of automotive radar, designed to make cars safer for drivers, occupants, and pedestrians alike.

David Theriault, CEO of Ubisense commented, "I’m delighted to be working with CCL as I know we have found a first class technology partner capable of helping us achieve our mission of becoming the global leader in local positioning systems. I am optimistic that we will see early trials of Ubitag within the next few months and manufacturing product early next year."

Peter Bell, who leads CCL’s project commented, "I think this development has many potential applications beyond the medical arena. Whilst Ubisense has already examined several possibilities for helping where people and assets need to be tracked for safety reasons, I can also envisage other uses. Imagine the key-less car that knows it’s ‘you’ as you approach and only unlocks the nearest door. This could be very useful for someone on their own, late at night, where they can often feel vulnerable as they approach their car. Also, what about the ticket-less train or bus that knows when you got on and where you got off and only charged you accordingly, but didn’t charge you for being on the platform as the vehicle goes by – the conventional problem with normal radio-based systems. I think we are witnessing the start of a real everyday technology which will become commonplace in our lives over the next decade."

Notes for editors:

Ubisense is a new company selling a robust, scalable platform that allows fine-grain tracking of people and objects in buildings and built-up areas.

The company has been founded by four world-leading experts in the area of location-aware computing. Combined, the founders have over 30 years of experience in the design and implementation of location systems and context-aware applications. Their background includes the pioneering work on the Bat ultrasonic location sensor and the SPIRIT distributed middleware platform.

www.ubisense.net

Cambridge Consultants Limited (CCL) designs and develops innovative new products, processes and systems. CCL enables clients to turn business opportunities into commercial successes, whether launching first-to-market products, or expanding existing markets through the introduction of new technologies.

With a team of over 200 engineers and scientists, CCL is able to offer solutions across a diverse range of industries including healthcare, telecoms, industrial and consumer products, automotive and aerospace.

www.CambridgeConsultants.com