Nurse-Led Company Deploys Computer Vision A.I. to Protect Healthcare Workers

Inspiren, a nurse-led technology company, is deploying its flagship solution in the fight against COVID-19 to ensure staff are adequately protected at all times.  

The device, rapidly installed and wall mounted at the bedside, leverages computer vision to automate enhanced contact tracing. In the event of a confirmed source patient, Inspiren provides bed-level insight into all who entered that space, how long the visit lasted, the proximity to the source patient, and if PPE was secure at all times. 
 
“Our mission has always been to protect patients and safeguard staff,” said Michael Wang, R.N., CEO of Inspiren.  “The collective efforts of clinicians and technologists working side by side over the last few years have manifested this mission. It is an honor to be able to provide peace of mind to those who are selflessly putting themselves on the front lines to care for patients.”
 
In 2019, Inspiren received more than 20 international innovation awards for its hybrid sensing computer vision, IoT, and audio/video monitoring platform from organizations such as TIME, Edison, SXSW, Fast Company, and the American Nurses Association. The device, known as iN, has been utilized in the care environment to eliminate preventable harm such as pressure ulcers, reduce falls by up to 75 percent, and ensure front line clinical staff are recognized for their hard work through a robust gamification platform.
  
Since the outbreak, Inspiren’s founding nurses have been on the front lines working at hospitals in New York City and central New Jersey. Through first-hand experience they have been identifying and documenting the critical front-line and administrative needs surfacing from the outbreak. As a result, Inspiren has reallocated 100 percent of its development efforts to where they are needed most—the fight against COVID-19. New algorithms have been created to alert staff in real time if PPE (mask, eye shield, gown) is not worn or secured properly. Additionally, to limit staff exposure, Inspiren developed a new remote monitoring solution that allows virtual visitation of patients in isolation rooms through live de-identified video and audio feed. Inspiren also repurposed its patient visit history functionality to enable fully automated contact tracing, which is critical in controlling infection and nearly impossible to achieve with existing infrastructure.
 
The platform communicates with hospital staff in real time via the device’s interactive LED display and through a suite of mobile and desktop applications. 
 
“In a time of crisis, the risk of selecting disparate, non-integrated, technology solutions for various use cases, is exponentially magnified,” said Dr. Paul Coyne, president of Inspiren. “There is no other single solution that can simultaneously fulfill the multitude of needs of those on the front line during the current height of this pandemic, and beyond.”