Google’s healthcare, biotechnology, and life sciences division Verily that’s now a part of the holding company Alphabet has revealed its latest creation – a device which gathers and syncs medical data from clinical studies patients. The gadget that the company calls a “Connectivity Bridge” has emerged from a filing submitted to the Federal Communications Commission in September which was publicized yesterday. The strange-looking hardware which can be seen at the link below is just a part of Verily’s latest medical solution which heavily relies on big data analytics, which is a process of collecting, organizing and analyzing huge amounts of data (the so-called ‘big data’) with the goal of discovering useful information, primarily patterns. The device itself is seemingly conceived as a wireless hub which can be installed pretty much anywhere, communicate with various sensors in its close proximity, and upload the collected data to the cloud where Google’s computers will do the heavy lifting, i.e. big data analysis. The analytics software is still in development, but the company is hoping that it will provide it with the competitive edge needed to succeed in the modern healthcare business. Interestingly enough, it was revealed that the finished product will run open source software.
As for supported sensors, the company is already supplying one such device to Boston Brigham and Women’s Hospital which is conducting a multiple sclerosis study. Participants in the study use something called a Study Kit, which is basically a set of apps and devices like Verily Connectivity Bridge used for medical data collection. In fact, Connectivity Bridge is the crucial component of the entire Study Kit as it not only syncs data from other devices but also charges them.
This is only a second general use device revealed by Verily since the former division of Google X became an independent subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. along with Google in 2015. The only other such gadget that we’ve heard about is some a health-tracking wristband also designed for clinical trials which Verily ambiguously talked about last year. However, it’s expected the company’s presence in the healthcare industry will soon grow, not just because of the products that we currently know of but also because it has managed to attract top talent in recent years which is likely to come up with something that will provide Verily with a foothold in the market.