Hi,
having spend more than my fair share of time visiting or being in hospitals I got to know the routine of staff quite well. And a big responsibility that has to be performed with 100% accuracy is the distribution of medication. However, in cases with more than just one medication per patient more often than we would like to see things go wrong: medication is distributed on time, renewal are not requested, running out of stock on the ward outside pharmacy hours or simple human error. And I have seen them all happening.
Hence the question is why the process of medication distribution is done by hand, from blister pack with paper documentation handwritten on wards that are understaffed and full with demanding and uncooperative patients. There are already studies [1] of the accuracy and timeliness of medication dispensing on wards showing error rates of somewhere in the range of 5% - 10% error. On wards with distribution system the error rate appears to be around 2% (with mostly omission errors). And given the costs of compensation and the frequency of occurrence it looks like some automation may just pay for itself.
One wonders where the low tech mobile dispenser are that can be taken from ward to ward in order for the medication to be dispensed quickly and efficiently for patient and staff. In the right setup the medication dispense time can be reduced or the number of dispense routes increased. Additional administration guidance checks can give the doctor and care staff immediate information about the dispense procedure, after care and monitoring allowing the medical staff to reduce the paper work and to reduce the time spend on detailing prescription. Together with a wristband reader this should give great accuracy and leave the staff to deal with patients and not blister packs.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
IDEA: trip safer/safer trip by using a delayed ignition
Hi,
often it is the convenience that wins out when environmental considerations and the necessities fight each other when using the car. Whilst there was snow around and the car covered I found myself walking more for short trips to the shop since it appeared to be faster than getting the car out and drive worthy. This inspired an idea.
By introducing a "think pause" in the ignition cycle when the car was stopped for longer periods and 'cooled down' it may convince a person to do a local trip on foot or with the bicycle instead of using the car. The delay should be a minute or two, perhaps adjustable, where the drive has to have the key in the ignition but the car won't start.
This time forces the driver to think about taking the trip and/or to check over the car lights and other issues. An additional bonus of that a delayed ignition system may also prevent car theft as it takes a lot longer to start a car and drive off.
often it is the convenience that wins out when environmental considerations and the necessities fight each other when using the car. Whilst there was snow around and the car covered I found myself walking more for short trips to the shop since it appeared to be faster than getting the car out and drive worthy. This inspired an idea.
By introducing a "think pause" in the ignition cycle when the car was stopped for longer periods and 'cooled down' it may convince a person to do a local trip on foot or with the bicycle instead of using the car. The delay should be a minute or two, perhaps adjustable, where the drive has to have the key in the ignition but the car won't start.
This time forces the driver to think about taking the trip and/or to check over the car lights and other issues. An additional bonus of that a delayed ignition system may also prevent car theft as it takes a lot longer to start a car and drive off.
BUSINESS IDEA: personal route planner for public transport
Hi,
given the existence of travel agencies it appers rather strange that a true independent path buyer does not exist. Most online companies are only working with one travel medium ( train, bus, car rental or plan ) and only resort to a switch when there is nothing else available. None of the agencies appear considering taxi companies -- I am waiting to be contradicted!
The idea is a bazaar style system where I would put up a trip (start, end), frequency, number of person to travel and times. Transport companies would note what services do overlap with they cover area and could put in an offer. For example a trip from my place of living to my place of work. I would need to be at work around 9am and would leave work at around 5pm. Adding of course either location companies can then look if a location is within their area of coverage.
The planning would be as such: the taxi company would state that it can drive me (and how fast) from home directly to work for a price, or drive me to the nearest train or bus for another price. The bus company would say suggest to take bus stop X at and what times are available. A train company would do the same. Perhaps a car rental place would offer me a car for a week for this distance at a discount price. Maybe a private person would let me ride for the cost of the fuel.
The individual agencies would offer a travel vector which then will be calculated to several routes. The business would then offer these routes to the requestor and for a fee would book each item. You may be able to set a price, a preferred travel medium or choose the fastest route. It probably is an app that fits nicely into the mobile world.
given the existence of travel agencies it appers rather strange that a true independent path buyer does not exist. Most online companies are only working with one travel medium ( train, bus, car rental or plan ) and only resort to a switch when there is nothing else available. None of the agencies appear considering taxi companies -- I am waiting to be contradicted!
The idea is a bazaar style system where I would put up a trip (start, end), frequency, number of person to travel and times. Transport companies would note what services do overlap with they cover area and could put in an offer. For example a trip from my place of living to my place of work. I would need to be at work around 9am and would leave work at around 5pm. Adding of course either location companies can then look if a location is within their area of coverage.
The planning would be as such: the taxi company would state that it can drive me (and how fast) from home directly to work for a price, or drive me to the nearest train or bus for another price. The bus company would say suggest to take bus stop X at and what times are available. A train company would do the same. Perhaps a car rental place would offer me a car for a week for this distance at a discount price. Maybe a private person would let me ride for the cost of the fuel.
The individual agencies would offer a travel vector which then will be calculated to several routes. The business would then offer these routes to the requestor and for a fee would book each item. You may be able to set a price, a preferred travel medium or choose the fastest route. It probably is an app that fits nicely into the mobile world.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
IDEA: Self regulating simmer pot
Hi,
to get to the best simmer I often leave the lid on the pot with a crack open as it is easier and more immediate to control the heat. Of course this is somewhat wasteful and requires monitoring.
Another idea would be a pot that can detect the inside heat an turn down the heat to keep the temperature as hot as possible and prevent boiling over. This can be achieved in a few different ways. The immediate way is to measure the heat inside the pot and inverse regulate the temperature to a set value. This requires the stove to be adaptive and some form of temperature sensor.
The other way is a pot that can sense the heat and shift the position to a cooler part of the stove or simply lifting it up. This isn't any less wasteful than leaving the lid open but at least does not require monitoring. A really simple approach would be to use the steam using some sort of valve to elevate the pot upwards creating a small gap between pot and stove. A simple clutch would allow the pot to sink down constantly unless pushed up by the steam driven valve.
to get to the best simmer I often leave the lid on the pot with a crack open as it is easier and more immediate to control the heat. Of course this is somewhat wasteful and requires monitoring.
Another idea would be a pot that can detect the inside heat an turn down the heat to keep the temperature as hot as possible and prevent boiling over. This can be achieved in a few different ways. The immediate way is to measure the heat inside the pot and inverse regulate the temperature to a set value. This requires the stove to be adaptive and some form of temperature sensor.
The other way is a pot that can sense the heat and shift the position to a cooler part of the stove or simply lifting it up. This isn't any less wasteful than leaving the lid open but at least does not require monitoring. A really simple approach would be to use the steam using some sort of valve to elevate the pot upwards creating a small gap between pot and stove. A simple clutch would allow the pot to sink down constantly unless pushed up by the steam driven valve.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
IDEA: customised TV advertising for me between programs
Hi,
I don't like TV advertising for most parts. Usually because I am not average (actually, nobody is really average ). However, I do accept it as necessary evil as it comes part and parcel of capitalism in its various guises. It would be a lot more bearable if advertising actually consist of any items I am interested in.
What is required is simply to use a STB (set top box) with storage, such as the various plus boxes from Sky and Virgin to fill in the advertising slot primarily with items that I am interested in by downloading the clips in advance and inserting them as required by the broadcaster. A signal in the program could indicate the start of an advertising clip and control the replay of the locally stored clips instead. If no preferences are set or insufficient matches are available for the time slot, the box will only play the provided clips from the feed.
The box could also play all of the advertising I am interested in on demand. For example should I look for a car insurance I could view all the recent advertisements for car insurance over and over again. Maybe the advertiser could also augment the advert with additional details to make it a longer, purpose build advert for me.
This should be a very simple amendment as movies can already be stored and downloaded on demand. Why not advertising programs ?
I don't like TV advertising for most parts. Usually because I am not average (actually, nobody is really average ). However, I do accept it as necessary evil as it comes part and parcel of capitalism in its various guises. It would be a lot more bearable if advertising actually consist of any items I am interested in.
What is required is simply to use a STB (set top box) with storage, such as the various plus boxes from Sky and Virgin to fill in the advertising slot primarily with items that I am interested in by downloading the clips in advance and inserting them as required by the broadcaster. A signal in the program could indicate the start of an advertising clip and control the replay of the locally stored clips instead. If no preferences are set or insufficient matches are available for the time slot, the box will only play the provided clips from the feed.
The box could also play all of the advertising I am interested in on demand. For example should I look for a car insurance I could view all the recent advertisements for car insurance over and over again. Maybe the advertiser could also augment the advert with additional details to make it a longer, purpose build advert for me.
This should be a very simple amendment as movies can already be stored and downloaded on demand. Why not advertising programs ?
IDEA: additional car window protection for parking cars
Hi,
it had to happen. My car got broken into (again) through the side window whilst parking in the disabled parking area at a hospital no less. It was a break and grab from what I see. So what makes it so easy to do this ? The window is designed to scatter for security purposes. Naturally, one cannot make a car into a rolling safe but it appears a bit too easy with modern tools to break in. The tools for the "trade" are radically cheap.
The idea is to use a fibre curtain inside that not only protects the glass from falling into the car. It also delays the intrusion into the car significantly. The curtain or fabric should be automatically rectracted from all windows when driving. Upon locking the car the fabric will be pulled up (down?) into position similar to shutters and held on all four sides. This will also provide reduced visibility to the inside of the car.
In order to gain access after breaking the window an intruder would have to cut through the wobbly fabric strengthened with some form of metal fibres to make that slower. Alternatively, the truder would have to dislodge the fabric held on all four sides. As the fabric does not need to fit snug to the window it may be possible to inset the sides into a groove to decrease access.
The protection is only needed for parking and thus should not hinder access by the emergency services.
it had to happen. My car got broken into (again) through the side window whilst parking in the disabled parking area at a hospital no less. It was a break and grab from what I see. So what makes it so easy to do this ? The window is designed to scatter for security purposes. Naturally, one cannot make a car into a rolling safe but it appears a bit too easy with modern tools to break in. The tools for the "trade" are radically cheap.
The idea is to use a fibre curtain inside that not only protects the glass from falling into the car. It also delays the intrusion into the car significantly. The curtain or fabric should be automatically rectracted from all windows when driving. Upon locking the car the fabric will be pulled up (down?) into position similar to shutters and held on all four sides. This will also provide reduced visibility to the inside of the car.
In order to gain access after breaking the window an intruder would have to cut through the wobbly fabric strengthened with some form of metal fibres to make that slower. Alternatively, the truder would have to dislodge the fabric held on all four sides. As the fabric does not need to fit snug to the window it may be possible to inset the sides into a groove to decrease access.
The protection is only needed for parking and thus should not hinder access by the emergency services.
Monday, January 11, 2010
IDEA: CD/DVD writer with label printer
Hi,
CD/DVD burning is almost out-of-fashion with USB memory sticks of similar and better capacity available. Still, unlike USB memory sticks the DVD has some history and uses as cheap semi-permanent storage media.
Given that a DVD gets "burned" using a laser writer one could ask if the same laser writer can be made to "print" the DVD label as well. Consider a DVD in the drive; after burning the disk one would turn the disk around and insert it again. Possibly with some form of adhesive colouring medium equal to the blue paper of the old days (for those who have been around a while).
The write head, instead of following the groove as it were, would then be positioned to writer by heatingup the adhesive and thus cause some sort of color transfer. One could think of the need of multiple consecutive bursts of heat to cause a solid transfer so to generate grey values or to sharpen the features of the print.
The colour transfer would seep into the top plastic, perhaps made specially absorbend in some form. Which would then cause a single color / black and white print label to be embedded in the CD/DVD for the lifetime of its use.
CD/DVD burning is almost out-of-fashion with USB memory sticks of similar and better capacity available. Still, unlike USB memory sticks the DVD has some history and uses as cheap semi-permanent storage media.
Given that a DVD gets "burned" using a laser writer one could ask if the same laser writer can be made to "print" the DVD label as well. Consider a DVD in the drive; after burning the disk one would turn the disk around and insert it again. Possibly with some form of adhesive colouring medium equal to the blue paper of the old days (for those who have been around a while).
The write head, instead of following the groove as it were, would then be positioned to writer by heatingup the adhesive and thus cause some sort of color transfer. One could think of the need of multiple consecutive bursts of heat to cause a solid transfer so to generate grey values or to sharpen the features of the print.
The colour transfer would seep into the top plastic, perhaps made specially absorbend in some form. Which would then cause a single color / black and white print label to be embedded in the CD/DVD for the lifetime of its use.
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