KLONOFF: Edge computing and fog computing offer five advantages over cloud computing: greater data transmission speed; less dependence on limited bandwidth; greater privacy and security; greater control over data generated in foreign countries, where laws may limit use or permit unwanted governmental access; and lower costs, because as more sensor-derived data is used locally, less data needs to be transmitted remotely.
SHI: There are three huge benefits. The first will be to lighten the workload of medical practitioners by removing less important tasks, such as collecting and managing patient data. The second will be to make healthcare more affordable and accessible, especially for remote areas where medical care falls behind. A truck outfitted with edge computing devices, for instance, can visit isolated villages and provide advanced healthcare by connecting residents to telemedicine services.
The third benefit will be to stimulate medical technology advancement. As we all know, in the Big Data era, more data equals more opportunity. Edge computing will make it easier to manage and label data in a uniform and efficient way and will make it easier for colleagues to share data securely. This will enable technology development by allowing researchers to mine data that was otherwise unavailable in the past.
HEALTHTECH: Where will edge computing have its greatest practical impact?
RAB: Its greatest impact will be in the management of chronic disease. The combination of IoT and fast 5G cellular connections will enhance the delivery of at-home care and allow for continuous monitoring of patients for diseases such as diabetes and congestive heart failure.
KLONOFF: Edge computing is most useful for devices whose data must be acted upon immediately because there isn’t time for it to be uploaded to the cloud. An example would be intensive care unit sensors that require instantaneous analysis of data and execution of commands, such as closed-loop systems that maintain physiologic homeostasis. As sensors become more sophisticated, we’ll see similar closed-loop control of devices that monitor insulin levels, respiration, neurological activity, cardiac rhythms and GI functions.