Another week has come and gone, so it’s time to take a look at what you may have missed in the world of technology outside healthcare.
Here are five interesting general technology stories from the past seven days that people in healthcare should pay attention to. These issues could have an impact on health tech in the future.
With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
1. “Microsoft deletes ‘teen girl’ AI after it became a Hitler-loving sex robot within 24 hours” (The Telegraph)
A day after Microsoft introduced an innocent Artificial Intelligence chat robot to Twitter it has had to delete it after it transformed into an evil Hitler-loving, incestual sex-promoting, “Bush did 9/11”-proclaiming robot.
Developers at Microsoft created “Tay,” an AI modelled to speak “like a teen girl,” in order to improve the customer service on their voice recognition software. They marketed her as “The AI with zero chill” — and that she certainly is.
2. “Eric Schmidt sees a huge future for machine learning” (CIO)
Speaking at Google’s GCP Next cloud computing conference in San Francisco, Alphabet Chairman Eric Schmidt said the combination of crowd-sourced data and machine learning will be the basis of “every successful huge IPO” in five years.”
He said the adoption of machine learning will allow companies to mine crowd sourced data, which already provides a mass of information not previously available to companies, and improve on it.
A Personalized Approach to Medication Nonadherence
At the Abarca Forward conference earlier this year, George Van Antwerp, managing director at Deloitte, discussed how social determinants of health and a personalized member experience can improve medication adherence and health outcomes.
3. “Samsung is developing a new OS for the Internet of Things” (PC World)
Samsung is making the operating system open source to help increase its chances of adoption, and says it will allow for greater interoperability between IoT devices.
Its goal is partly to avoid the fragmented OS landscape in mobile devices, particularly for Android, which has caused issues with device interoperability, chip compatibility and deployment of software updates.
4. “Where are the wearables? Apple Watch no-show caps off slow start for smartwatches” (CNet)
The lack of new smartwatches this year suggests a drought in a business that was just getting off the ground. As evidenced by Apple’s announcement of new bands, 2016 may be more about refinement of what we’ve already got rather than a new generation of wearables. Maybe that could finally help make these products ready for mainstream consumers.
5. “New Starbucks CTO: Technology is creating ‘hyper-connected’ coffee shops, personalized for each customer” (GeekWire)
The company has been putting a heavy emphasis on smartphones and mobile technologies with its Mobile Order and Pay feature, in addition to delivery through Postmates, which is currently being piloted in Seattle.
Another way that Starbucks stores are connected is through internet-enabled devices, like Starbucks’ ovens and coffee machines, which all are programmed with the same standards, she said. For example, Starbucks uses warming ovens to heat their food. These ovens are updated over the internet, so that when when a new food product is introduced to the store, it will instantly be heated to the right temperature in every location, with no learning curve, [Gerri] Martin-Flickinger said.
Photo: Twitter
