Digital Transformation in Healthcare

For years, the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD has been focusing on the challenges facing the healthcare industry. Our efforts in the health and care services sector have centered primarily on digital assistance systems — from smart device and smart environments to smart furniture.

In cooperation with various care facilities, Fraunhofer IGD is developing mobile applications such as smartwatches worn on the wrist and wireless sensors attached to the leg. These unobtrusive and comfortable wearable measurement systems automatically record caregiving activities and document important patient medical parameters.

Fraunhofer IGD’s smart living technologies for care facilities and private residences provide a wide variety of interconnected sensors that make life easier, increase safety and allow for greater independence in everyday living. Fraunhofer IGD’s digital systems also assist with dispensing medications in care facilities and hospitals, for example, by using a camera to capture images of tablets and analyzing the data using AI-based software. This ensures that each person receives the correct tablets.

Capacitive sensors integrated into furniture offer innovative ways to monitor health. These sensors detect touch, making them ideal for monitoring vital signs. Capacitive sensors play an important role in preventive healthcare by providing continuous, unobtrusive monitoring that enables early detection of health problems.