Spark

The internet of (medical) things

Connected to everything, even your medication.
The Bant app helps diabetics monitor their health data. (Jessica Hoang)

From medication equipped with sensors that "know" if a pill has been taken, to inhalers that will wirelessly send data to patients' smartphones, medication and health management are going digital. With such a large portion of health care costs spent on chronic conditions, the hope is that connected monitors and meds will help patients manage their own conditions better, and allow them to share that data with their healthcare providers. Joe Cafazzo is lead at the Centre for Global eHealth Innovation in Toronto. He explains the growing field of connected health, and demonstrates Bant, a smartphone app and Bluetooth-enabled glucose monitor for managing diabetes.