Introduction: Timeline Of Internet Of Medical Things. Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) solutions typically use devices such as smartphones to enhance an individual’s well-being.
Nevertheless, the scientific contribution, it can bring and makes the IoMT promising for the future. Indeed, while a patient sees a medical device as a solution to their problems, professionals (i.e., doctors and researchers) can use it as a data source to discover new diseases and treatments.
Thus, envisioning a world equipped with IoMT solutions, crowdsourcing can create one of the most significant changes for healthcare: an interplanetary dataset representing all the medical stories of individuals to learn from.
However, enabling a trusted context first in a trustless scenario would mean ignoring some potential risks. An individual’s health data is considered sensitive and must be protected in any possible way.
Timeline of Internet of medical things and IoT
Here’s a brief history of the Internet of Medical Things that provides much-needed context to this rapidly evolving topic.
1982 – Students invented the connected coke machine.
Students at Carnegie Mellon University connected the department’s vending machine to a central computer via a local network, allowing them to check whether drinks were available and cold. Not everyone liked Coke, but everyone loved the invention.
1989 – The World Wide Web originated.
British scientist Tim Berners-Lee developed the World Wide Web (WWW) at CERN. Complementing the government’s system of satellites was privately placed, providing communications for future IoT systems. The foremost website that Berners-Lee brought online from the Swiss Alps is still available today.
1990-1993 – The world’s first IoT device is invented.
In 1990, John Romkey developed the first IoT appliance – a toaster that could be turned on and off over the Internet. By 1991, he had automated the whole process, including the bread, by adding a crane system.
Then in 1993, the world’s first webcam prototype, the Trojan Room Coffee Pot, was established at the University of Cambridge to monitor coffee grounds in the brewer.
1998 – Mark Weiser built an enclosed water fountain
Mark Weiser, the father of ubiquitous computing, built a fountain outside his office. Water flow and height simulated price trends and stock market volume in real-time. The crisis of 2008 would have been an incredible scene.
1999 – The “Internet of Things” is formed.
Auto ID founder Kevin Ashton titled his presentation at Procter & Gamble “The Internet of Things.” Ashton combined the ideas of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) and the Internet, impressing listeners with his innovation.
Although his idea of RFID-based device connectivity differs from today’s IP-based (Internet Protocol) IoT, Ashton’s breakthroughs contributed to the history of IoT and overall technological development.
2005 – The first smart home device is constructed.
Initially released in June 2005, the Nabaztag – an early version of smart home devices such as Alexa and Google Home – was a rabbit-shaped ambient electronic device that could alert its owner and provide information about the weather and stock market changes.
RSS was able to talk to them, Feed them, etc. In 2019, the iconic rabbit made a limited-time comeback with a new Raspberry Pi brain.
2008-2009 – IoT is endured.
According to Cisco, IBSG IoT was created between 2008 and 2009, when the number of connected machines outnumbered the number of humans on the planet. Presently, there are approximately 21.5 billion connected devices in the world – almost three times the number of people on the planet.
2011 – IoT adds to the hype cycle for emerging technologies.
In 2011, Gartner, the market research company that coined the famous “hype cycle for emerging technologies,” added “The Internet of Things” to its list. This year, Gartner named Vodafone as a leader in its 2021 Magic Quadrant for Managed IoT Connectivity Services for the 7th time in a row.
2013-2014 – IoT devices start using sensors.
Thermostats and home lighting began using sensors to sense the surrounding environment accurately. This allowed people to control home lights, garage doors, and thermostats from their phones.
2014 – First “Smart City” built.
As a smart city “testbed,” the Smart Docklands in Dublin provided a platform for innovators to test innovative technology solutions to local challenges, such as smart bins, flood level monitors Sensors, and city noise monitoring sensors.
2018 – IoT joins the healthcare and health insurance industries.
Healthcare devices symbolize one of the fastest-growing sectors of the IoT market. The value of this sector – sometimes called the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) – is predicted to reach $176 billion by 2026.
IoT technology permits healthcare professionals to access patient data and improve the quality of wearable medical devices. Medical IoT solutions include monitoring blood glucose and heart rate, pacemakers, fall detection, geo fencing, and location monitoring.
Wearable technology dates back to the 1500s when Peter Heinlein, a locksmith and watchmaker from Nuremberg, Germany, invented small, portable watches worn as necklaces or attached to clothing.
The Apple Watch is a modern instance of wearable technology. This electronic smartwatch is also a cell phone, MP3 player, and personal assistant (Siri) and monitors the wearer’s health using various apps.
2020 – IoT steps up in reaction to the COVID-19 crisis
In 2020, heat-detecting cameras started popping up in public places to measure people’s temperatures. Using infrared technology, thermal cameras detect body heat.
Although these devices were not initially designed for medical purposes – they are often deployed to detect embers and by police to search for suspects out of sight.
Final words
The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) predicts a network of medical devices and people using wireless communication to enable the exchange of healthcare data.
Consequently, this specific context brings up essential issues in terms of privacy and security that need to be considered. Health data is sensitive data that must be adequately protected throughout the network. The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) grows as the global IoT grows.
This technology is used by individuals to track their health, for example, through FitBit, and is revolutionizing the healthcare industry. Hospitals and medical staff use IoMT technology to communicate with patients about appointments, medication management, lab results, care plans, and more.
Also read: IoMT Why Is Important?; What is the Internet of Things; Internet Of Medical Things Examples