Introduction to the Special Section: Convergence of Automation Technology, Biomedical Engineering, and Health Informatics Toward the Healthcare 4.0

Abstract

Industry 4.0 is spilling out from manufacturing to healthcare. In this article, we provide a brief history and key enabling technologies of Industry 4.0, and its revolution in healthcare-Healthcare 4.0-and its reshaping of the landscape of the entire healthcare value chain. We discuss the shift in the system design paradigm from open, small, and single loop to closed, large, and multiple loops. We provide the example of a Caregiving Home, and discuss emerging research topics and challenges, including healthcare big data, automated medical production, healthcare robotics, and human-robot symbiosis. Relevant papers published in this special section are also presented.

Industry 4.0 and its applications in orthopaedics

“…There are various unique requirements can be fulfilled by Industry 4.0 in the medical field using virtual reality. 5 In the upcoming years, Industry 4.0 is to bring innovations to the field of Orthopaedics. By Industry 4.0 applications, medical students can be adequately trained to detect problems and correlate them.…”

Improvements in Accurate Detection of Cardiac Abnormalities and Prognostic Health Diagnosis Using Artificial Intelligence in Medical Systems

“…The design of medical systems towards more accuracy and resiliency is quite challenging, and to mitigate, in the recent past decade, developed and used few techniques like data fusion techniques [1], [3], [12], [16], [21], Artificial Intelligence (AI) based techniques [17]- [23] and correlation techniques [7]- [9], [23], [24]. However, all these techniques will have its limitations and lack in mitigating the challenges, like accurate identification and separation of the apt signal data for data analytics to extract the artifacts, identification of inaccurate signal data, and finding the root cause of the faults like systemic or random failures towards determining the health of the medical systems.…”

Preface: Repair of the Sternum after Median Sternotomy: A Procedure with Complex Problems in Need of a Multidisciplinary Solution

“…Gandhi emphasizes that a single "one-size-fits-all" approach 11 is not suitable for high-risk patients undergoing sternal closure and he uses the term "patient-appropriate medicine" for the problem. Personalized, or patient-specific, medicine has a number of potential benefits for the patient and for reducing treatment and follow-up costs, 5 but the "just-in-time" manufacturing, tissue engineering, treatment, and patient flow in the health setting requires the involvement of a multidisciplinary team to ensure the maintenance of critical standards. 5,7,9,12 Treatment of sternal closure, particularly for high-risk patients with complicated bone healing, bone health, and loading conditions, is a challenging problem when examined only from a surgical perspective.…”