The Internet of Everything (IoE) is already helping to unlock new possibilities for health care. What’s coming next is a new kind of connected medicine with the potential to save lives.
A networked connection of people, process, data, and things is transforming healthcare through developments like electronic health records that are customized and secured for each user, giving patients more information about their own medical care.
For consumers, IoE has given rise to an ecosystem of user-enabled health monitoring wearables like Fitbit and Apple Watch, which deliver personalized, data-driven health insights. And healthcare organizations are developing a range of point-of-care technologies to improve patient care and access to needed healthcare.
As we recognize National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, we celebrate the survivors and honor those we’ve lost to breast cancer. An area of hope against this cruel disease is the ability of IoE to provide us with data insights to help diagnose and treat breast cancer.
The need is more urgent that ever. The World Health Organization says breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer, killing more than a half million women globally in 2011. The rates of breast cancer are increasing, particularly in developing countries where most cases are diagnosed in late stages.
(Source: http://www.who.int/cancer/detection/breastcancer/en/index1.html)
In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States, after lung cancer. The latest statistics show nearly a quarter million American women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 — and more than 40,000 mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, wives and girlfriends died. (Source: http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/statistics/)
Fortunately, we’re starting to see examples of how IoE can help fundamentally change how we diagnose and treat women with breast cancer. One catalyst for this future is Rob Royea, a scientist and entrepreneur who is leading the charge to bring a new medical innovation called the iTBra from concept to market with the power of IoE.
The device – a normal bra embedded with IoE sensor technology – can detect tiny temperature changes in breast tissue. These fluctuations may indicate the presence of breast cancer at an early stage, when it is easier to treat and potentially cure. The iTBra works even in women with dense breast tissue, which can be difficult to detect with traditional x-ray techniques like mammography.
Cisco is helping fund a documentary about the iTBra called DETECTED. This upcoming indie-doc thriller will chronicle Rob’s journey to create the iTBra and shed important light on how IoE can be used to make a difference in people’s lives.
When people ask why IoE matters, there are many reasons we can offer. Perhaps the human element is the most important reason, as we work to make IoE more than just a game changer and into a lifesaver.
If we can do that, then we really have changed the world.
Join the conversation online with #DetectedMovie and by following the social channels: @detectedmovie, Detected Movie on Facebook, and Detected Movie on Instagram.
As someone with both grandmothers diagnosed with breast cancer, solutions for early detection and treatment are deeply personal to me. Thank you for sharing Karen and thank you Cisco!
Lets be bold enough to be open enough to share to save ourselves and save life’s around..Thanks Karen for caring & sharing.
This is one of the most moving use-cases for IoE. But such personal use-cases have to be approached with utmost care for securing data privacy.
I lost my mother to breast cancer in 2007 and have 2 close friends who have been impacted. I was deeply moved by the Detected trailer the first time I saw it and am very happy to see another push on the huge potential of technology in early detection. Bravo Karen for your great blog! Bravo Cisco and the IoT.
Wearable IoE devices will eventually save lives.
this is another example of a Skin Cancer-detecting T-Shirt:
http://www.bioopticsworld.com/articles/2015/03/full-body-scanner-could-ease-early-detection-of-skin-cancer.html
Firstly,
Karen thanks for sharing valuable information. I am very happy to see one more innovative on healthcare ,I lost my Aunt three months before for breast cancer.
I was deeply touched by “DETECTED” trailer.
Developing countries should get benefit from this.
Hats off CISCO !!, Worthy blog Karen .
Rgds,
Prashanth Avadhani
Karen thank you for sharing. I am a breast cancer survivor and alive today because of early detection.
This is another tool in the fight of cancer. I am so happy to work for a company that joins in the fight for all of us.
My wife and mother of my young child died of breast cancer in her late 40’s. Delighted that Cisco and the IoE could contribute to leading to a reduction in the ones we lose and lead to early diagnosis. Early diagnosis is crucial.
Being gene positive and having a sister diagnosed with early onset breast cancer and a mother fighting ovarian cancer, I am inspired and extremely proud of working at Cisco! This will provide my family and other high risk groups more non-invasive diagnostic options and in-turn, more peace of mind.
I am so very excited about this innovation! My Grandmother and Aunt both were diagnosed with breast cancer, and it took my Grandmothers life. I am very aware that this runs in the family, and having this option for early detection is crucial to me!
I’ve been following the development of the iTBra since the early 2000’s as it was developed by Lifeline Bitotech (the current patent holder). Seeing Lifeline – stock ticker LLBO if anyone wants to invest as I have 🙂 spin up the company Cyrcadia Health to focus primarily on the iTBra and see it to the point where it is now, truly shows that they believe in the technology and the lifesaving early detection (especially for those with dense breast tissue). I fully believe in it too, and it sure seems that Cisco feels the same way.
The trailer for the Detected movie sent chills up my back – its so exciting to see what looks to be a ground breaking technology being developed right before our eyes!
Cisco, THANK YOU for seeing the future and funding Detected – I cannot wait to see the entire film and watch the iTBra finally come to fruition and available to the general public! These are amazing times we are living it, and the IOE is going to change many lives for the better.
Is there anyway to invest in the company that’s behind such an awesome device? This technology could potentially save lives and I would love to support the success of the company.
LLBO is the ticker of the company which has the patents. Cyrcadia Health is their daughter firm
You can find a lot of info here:
http://investorshub.advfn.com/Lifeline-Biotechnologies-Inc-LLBO-14941/
Hope this helps
Thanks for sharing this great valuable information 🙂
I just learned one of my neighbors just passed this week due to breast cancer 🙁 Early detection saves live!