Keeping the power on to home medical devices

Richard Bean; Stephen Snow; Mashhuda Glencross; Stephen Viller; Neil Horrocks

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0235068

Keeping the power on to home medical devices

PLoS One. 2020 Jul 9;15(7):e0235068. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235068. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Richard Bean¹, Stephen Snow¹, Mashhuda Glencross¹, Stephen Viller¹, Neil Horrocks¹

Affiliation

¹ Centre for Energy Data Innovation, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.

Abstract

Advances in digital health technologies have revolutionised home medical care. Yet many home medical devices (HMEDs, which includes devices referred to as 'life support equipment') rely upon a stable and resilient electricity supply. For users of HMEDs, interruptions to electricity supply can compromise treatment, well-being or survival. This paper addresses a challenge critical to the continued innovation in digital health technologies: the reliable supply of electricity. We bridge the current gap between electricity networks and digital health technologies through a novel method for the remote detection of the phase (that is, which part of the network that each house is connected to), in order to eliminate avoidable interruptions to supply for HMED users. We present an unsupervised phase identification algorithm capable of remote phase detection at scale, and without transformer data. This method translates data insights into actionable energy provision for HMED users and other vulnerable customers, enables more accurate management and planning, and improves electricity reliability which is critical for HMED users and the continued advances in digital health technologies.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Algorithms
Electricity*
Equipment and Supplies* / standards
Home Care Services* / standards
Humans

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the University of Queensland, Advance Queensland AQPTP01216-17RD1) (Queensland Government) and Redback Technologies. Authors RB, SS, MG, SV, NH all received funding in the form of salaries from the University of Queensland. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.