Latest news with #technologists
CTV News
7 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
WRH highlighting ‘critical need' to fill diagnostic imaging jobs and get more students into the field
Officials at Windsor Regional Hospital are working to highlight the critical need for students to consider diagnostic imaging as a future career while actively recruiting to fill those positions within the hospital. External Recruitment Coordinator Erin Hodgson said X-ray technicians, CT scan technicians, and nuclear medicine technologists are the positions the hospital has the most difficult time finding top talent for. As part of a recruitment effort, the hospital is offering a $25,000 signing bonus for those in-demand positions, while there is also help available with relocation costs for anyone moving from outside the region. One reason cited for the difficulty in filling those positions is that anyone locally pursuing these fields needs to leave the area to receive their two to three years of college education, with only a handful of schools offering programs in those fields. Hodgson said the nuclear medicine technologist position is challenging to fill because there are only five schools in Canada, with just one in Ontario, that offer that program. 'The need goes up because you have a workforce that's retiring out of these careers, but the number of students graduating out of these education streams, specifically for nuclear medicine tech, is not enough to meet the demand for the number of people who are leaving this role,' she said. The salary for an X-ray, CT or nuclear medicine technologist starts at $36 to $37 per hour. Hodgson said one of the big problems they're trying to address is a lack of knowledge that these career paths exist. 'I've been working really closely with the Greater Essex County District School Board to develop programs with the Experiential Learning Team and their SHSM [Specialist High Skills Major] Team to get into the high schools and talk to students about careers exactly like this that are in healthcare, outside the scope of nursing and medicine that everybody knows about,' she said. Hodgson said the demand for nuclear medicine is critical in Windsor-Essex, Ontario, and across Canada. 'We need the bodies; we need the people going into these education streams that they may not even be aware of. I think the initiative, especially put forth by Windsor Regional Hospital for recruitment and also education in the community, is working very hard every day,' she said. The hospital is also launching a new job shadow program for anyone 16 years and older, and the diagnostic imaging department is an active part of the program. Click here to find a link to register for the program. - Written by Rusty Thomson/AM800 News.
Telegraph
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The robot dog poised to replace your pet
He doesn't bark, require feeding or walking, and he certainly doesn't leave behind any unwelcome surprises on the pavement. Sirius, the world's first trainable AI robotic dog is on the cusp of radically transforming the pet industry. Designed by Hengbot, a Chinese start-up, Sirius has been hailed by technologists as bringing advanced robotics to the masses, and is due for roll-out in October. Although there are already robot dogs on the market, Sirius recognises its owner and learns new tricks, evolving over time to sync gestures with voice commands, similar to how a real dog is trained. Peiheng Song, the chief executive at Hengbot, said: 'With Sirius, we didn't just build a robot, we created the first of a new kind of robotic species. 'Sirius marks the start of a growing universe of intelligent, customisable robots designed to bring your imagination to life.' Several of Hengbot's developers already live with Sirius. They told The Telegraph that it had been a more 'heartwarming' experience than they expected, especially for young designers and engineers who are often living alone for the first time. One developer said: 'It feels like something between a smart assistant and curious little pet. 'While it doesn't need feeding or walking, it often surprises you with small, spontaneous gestures: a sneeze, a stretch, a playful bark or a gentle head tilt when you get close. 'After a long day, it simply stays nearby – whether you're watching a show, playing games, or just winding down. It adds a soft, almost therapeutic presence that helps ease loneliness and brings warmth to everyday life.' One developer described it as 'a little being that keeps you company without asking for anything in return'. 'Therapeutic presence' Hengbot said that they believe robot pets will eventually become normal, not to replace real animals, but as a new form of companionship that could be particularly useful for people with allergies, demanding schedules or limited space. A company spokesman: 'We believe companions like Sirius will feel increasingly natural, and even expected, in people's lives. 'It offers similar companionship and emotional joy, but with far less upkeep – no feeding, no vet visits, no shedding – while still responding to you, showing emotion and surprising you with little gestures. 'Sirius is a low-maintenance companion that fits perfectly into today's fast-paced lifestyle.' Users can even pick Sirius's personality, uploading voice packs and swapping character behaviours and moods so that it can behave like a husky, corgi or border collie. They can even change its outer appearance with 3D printable upgrades. It can be programmed to bark and move excitedly like a playful puppy, or amble slowly and calmly around the room like a relaxed dog at home. Owners can even upload their own dog's bark and replicate its signature gestures. The lifelike movement comes from special joints that mimic how real animal limbs operate, coupled with advanced AI and a motion feedback system, allowing it to respond like a real dog, including jumping and stretching. As owners spend more time with it, Sirius begins to learn from the interactions, gradually understanding preferences and habits, and adjusting its behaviour accordingly. It has both short-term and long-term memory, meaning it can remember recent events while also building a deeper understanding of its owner. Developers have been surprised just how lifelike the little robot is, finding that if they playfully scold it, it barks back like a real dog. 'This level of adaptability and lifelike expression goes far beyond what we initially expected,' said the company. So far, nearly 700 people have pre-ordered the robot, which is currently funding on Kickstarter for around £500.
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
GE HealthCare launches new advanced digital X-ray system to enable access and increase efficiency in high throughput settings
Definium™ Pace Select ET, a new floor-mounted digital X-ray system, enables access to affordable, high-quality medical imaging technology while easing workflow burdens in high-volume environments This new X-ray system, designed to act as a personal assistant for technologists, provides automation of in-room workflows and motorization of manual, repetitive tasks to increase throughput and reduce technologist learning curve CHICAGO, July 24, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GE HealthCare (Nasdaq: GEHC), today announced commercial availability of an advanced floor-mounted digital X-ray system, Definium™ Pace Select ET1, designed to deliver high-image quality and optimize efficiency in highly demanding environments while enhancing access and affordability. X-ray exams often serve as the entry point to diagnostic imaging, accounting for 60% of all imaging studies conducted, resulting in an ever-increasing workload for radiologists and technologists2 3. This increased demand, combined with acute staffing challenges where 80% of healthcare organizations are short-staffed and radiology technologists have the highest vacancies3, high burnout levels and work-related injuries, creates critical barriers to providing timely, effective diagnostic imaging for patients in need of X-ray imaging. GE HealthCare's new Definium Pace Select ET solves for many of these challenges by automating manual, repetitive steps and helping to reduce physical strain. The system leverages AI to ensure accurate patient positioning and consistent image quality across various clinical conditions while streamlining the technologist workflow to maximize the patient experience and throughput. "Burdened with the stress and pressure to keep radiology departments running smoothly and profitably, we aim to empower technologists with a system that consistently makes the first image count," said Sharad Sharma, Global General Manager, X-ray, at GE HealthCare. "With its advanced digital capabilities and automation, Definium Pace Select ET allows technologists of all experience levels to deliver consistent high-quality images to serve the full range of anatomies and patient populations." Easy-to-use features allow technologists to focus on patient care Building on the trusted Definium platform from GE HealthCare, the Definium Pace Select ET system brings advanced automation and workflow features to a flexible, floor-mounted system with elevating table, in-room exam control, and common user interface to assist technologists. "This launch reinforces our commitment to provide accessible, efficient, and high-quality care for patients, while alleviating stress from the technologist's workday by minimizing repetitive tasks and automating steps," said Jyoti Gupta, PhD, President & CEO of Women's Health and X-ray at GE HealthCare. "We remain dedicated to advancing our technology through transformative digital and AI-enabled capabilities that will remove barriers to timely and effective diagnostic imaging for any patient in need of X-ray imaging." The Definium Pace Select ET system brings the same high image quality typically seen in more expensive overhead tube suspension (OTS) systems to the affordability focused floor-mounted market. Designed and developed with extensive customer feedback, the system brings: Advanced automation to reduce workflow steps and physically demanding movements for technologists, potentially minimizing work-related injuries. Image variability reduction through the AI-enabled Helix™ Advanced Image Processing to provide consistent high-quality images. Prevention of errors before they occur through automated positioning, protocol selection, patient size (body habitus), and collimation via the Intelligent Workflow Suite, and a quality check prior to radiation exposure. To learn more about the new X-ray system, visit About GE HealthCare Technologies Inc. GE HealthCare is a trusted partner and leading global healthcare solutions provider, innovating medical technology, pharmaceutical diagnostics, and integrated, cloud-first AI-enabled solutions, services and data analytics. We aim to make hospitals and health systems more efficient, clinicians more effective, therapies more precise, and patients healthier and happier. Serving patients and providers for more than 125 years, GE HealthCare is advancing personalized, connected and compassionate care, while simplifying the patient's journey across care pathways. Together, our Imaging, Advanced Visualization Solutions, Patient Care Solutions and Pharmaceutical Diagnostics businesses help improve patient care from screening and diagnosis to therapy and monitoring. We are a $19.7 billion business with approximately 53,000 colleagues working to create a world where healthcare has no limits. GE HealthCare is proud to be among 2025 Fortune World's Most Admired Companies™. Follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram, and Insights for the latest news, or visit our website for more information. _______________________________ 1 510(k) cleared. Not CE marked. Cannot be placed on the market or put into service or used with human beings until it has been made to comply with CE marking and/or regulatory approval. Not all features available in all markets. 2 MV 2019 X-ray CR / DR Market Outlook Report) page 9, 37 3 Pearson, Dave. "Radiology techs in especially high demand as 85% of hospitals seek 'allied' health workers", 23 Oct. 22. View source version on Contacts GE HealthCare Media Contact: Katie ScrivanoM +1 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Fast Company
18-07-2025
- Health
- Fast Company
Femtech changed fertility. Now it's ready to rebuild maternal health
It's time to rebuild how women give birth. In the U.S., we've poured billions into fertility tech, helping people conceive. But when it comes to pregnancy, birth and the first year, innovation is lagging and outcomes are suffering. With the proper focus and attention, we can ensure the health and safety of mothers and infants through remote monitoring, improved tools for labor and delivery, and wraparound care postpartum. We have a chance to not only make pregnancy safer but also ensure every mother gets the care and attention they deserve. In the past decade, femtech has emerged as an industry helping women manage a range of health challenges. Maternal health, however, hasn't received nearly the attention it deserves. There is a pressing need for innovation across prenatal, labor and delivery and postpartum care. The United States' maternal mortality rate is still 18.6 deaths per 100,000 live maternal health and delivery complications, while not fatal, may impact women's cardiovascular, pelvic, and mental health for the rest of their lives. It's instructive to look at the fertility market to see just how much we could improve maternal health with a concerted effort by technologists, entrepreneurs, and investors. Fertility solutions have received the most investment across femtech, with over $10 billion in venture and private equity investment in the past decade. Every aspect of fertility has received significant investment, from employer-based benefits programs to cycle-tracking apps and wearables, to at-home fertility and insemination kits, plus a range of high-tech solutions for fertility clinics. This investment of capital has led to meaningful gains: At-home kits are reducing costs for individuals, AI is improving IVF outcomes, and employer-backed benefits are expanding access to care. We need the same attention and investment focused on maternal health. Here are three places to start: 1. REAL-TIME PREGNANCY MONITORING AND SCREENING With more maternal health deserts occurring in the US and abroad, remote monitoring may help fill the gap to detect complications before they escalate. Femtech startups are developing robust wearable technology, including smart rings and adhesive sensors designed to track fetal movement, as well as connected devices for early detection of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. Bloomful recently earned FDA clearance for a device that tracks blood pressure, glucose levels, and fetal heart rate. Their system has demonstrated significant improvements in maternal health outcomes, including a 61% reduction in preeclampsia cases among high-risk pregnancies. Another promising development is Armor Medical's wearable to proactively detect postpartum hemorrhage. The company has developed a wrist sensor that provides objective, real-time insights on blood loss for early intervention. While wearables are one way to monitor pregnancy and detect early complications, biomarkers offer another option. For example, Dionysus Health has created an epigenetic test to prescreen for postpartum depression in the third trimester. And MOMM Diagnostics is pioneering a simple finger-stick kit to be used at home that detects preeclampsia biomarkers well before symptoms arise. The critical challenge is making maternal monitoring and screening tech scalable, affordable, and accessible to all expectant mothers, and building the systems necessary to monitor and respond to the issues surfaced. 2. PRETERM LABOR DETECTION AND PREVENTION 10% of all babies in the US are born preterm, often ending up in intensive care and facing more health issues over time. These babies may struggle with feeding and immune system development, while preterm mothers are at greater risk for postpartum bleeding and infection, postpartum depression and challenges with breastfeeding. Although the technology is still in its early stages, promising tools are available to help detect and prevent preterm labor. Pregonlia is developing a medtech device to detect early signs of preterm labor, and Stanford is using health data from wearables plus AI to identify disrupted circadian rhythms, which may indicate an increased risk of pre-term labor. In the future, new devices like Novocuff can help close the cervix to retain amniotic fluid and maintain cervical length, thereby preventing early delivery. Preterm labor technology is still in its infancy, but with increased investment and careful integration into clinical workflows, these tools have the potential to make a meaningful impact. 3. POSTPARTUM CARE Many women experience physical and mental health issues after they leave the hospital. Yet, in most cases, the postpartum care plan consists of a follow-up appointment six weeks after delivery. It is no surprise that complications are often missed and mental health conditions go untreated. Femtech can provide continuous care, and a wave of new tools is emerging to help close this gap. Some offer continuous physical recovery tracking, while others integrate mental health screening and virtual access to doulas, pelvic floor specialists, and lactation support. The opportunity in this space is huge, and many fertility-focused companies, like Maven and Progyny, now offer wrap-around care to support families through the first year, understanding the benefits afforded to the mothers as well as employers. The solutions moving forward need both better research and broader reach, which can only be achieved through continued innovation, increased investment in research and technology, and policy change. WHERE CHANGE IS NEEDED Healthcare transformation moves slowly. Shifting the standard of care requires clear clinical evidence, upfront investment, and coordination across the system. New models must demonstrate real-world outcomes, fit into existing workflows, and be reimbursable to even have a chance at successful adoption. Change will be driven by two factors: investment and employers. Specialized funds like Wellstar Catalyst, the Laerdal Million Lives Fund, and Medicines360's Innovation Hub are stepping up investment in maternal health innovation. More investment is needed from VCs and private equity to fund maternal care innovation at scale. At the same time, employers have a unique opportunity to accelerate this transformation using the same playbook that worked for fertility and family building benefits. By supporting new mothers through comprehensive care, companies can improve retention with better support for their employees. We've already proven that focused investment and innovation can transform women's healthcare. Femtech changed everything for conception and family building. Now, maternal health is ready for the same revolution. It's time to rebuild birth and the first year.
Forbes
16-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
AI's Steady Maturation In Supply Chains
While industry analysts, reporters, and technologists continue to debate the value of AI, I decided to conduct a five-year retrospective, a healthy look back to identify where AI has genuinely made a difference in supply chain management. The results reveal a transformation that extends far beyond hype—AI has evolved from an obscure tool for managing materials and inventories into a strategic imperative for manufacturing and industrial enterprises. Companies that have adopted AI in their internal (procurement and maintenance) processes have realized substantial benefits, including significant cost savings, improved service levels, reduced downtime, and optimized working capital. These documented advantages have proven essential for navigating an increasingly uncertain global landscape marked by shifting regulations, evolving tariffs, and the strategic pivot toward nearshoring manufacturing—all while addressing ongoing challenges in the availability of transport, highly volatile material pricing, labor market shifts, and region-specific legislative changes. This AI transformation has fundamentally repositioned supply chain data and traditional ERP systems as the epicenter of e-business evolution. As procurement and MRO operations have become more intelligent and responsive, organizations have unlocked millions in savings, and I've witnessed it firsthand. Today, the questions clients ask have evolved accordingly, reflecting their deeper understanding and elevated expectations, shifting from hoping for unknown benefits to demanding substantial ROI. And that's all a part of the journey. 2020: Early Adoption of AI During a Crisis Before the pandemic, "supply chain" and "AI" rarely appeared in mainstream business headlines. The global shutdown changed that overnight, elevating both terms to prominence as enterprises scrambled to adapt to the new reality. Companies began partnering with startups to address immediate challenges, such as identifying duplicate materials, reducing risk across their supply chains, all to secure the necessary supply of materials to maximize production for their business.. While machine learning models had previously analyzed historical data to predict demand patterns and optimize inventory levels, new AI processes emerged that synchronized inventories with real-time data across various ERP, EAM, and P2P systems. Early adopters discovered substantial savings by identifying excess inventory, locating misplaced critical parts, and reducing facility downtime costs. These pioneers also achieved meaningful reductions in logistics expenses. 2021: Building Resilience Through Scale The ongoing pandemic has prompted companies to look beyond traditional supply chain solutions, seeking AI-powered tools to manage their vast amounts of data and deliver resilience and agility. Naturally, interest has accelerated rapidly, with new applications emerging for real-time tracking, predictive maintenance, and scenario planning. These factors are at the very essence of scaling operations efficiently to achieve hard-dollar returns. However, most companies were unprepared for such a transformation. As consultancy McKinsey noted at the time, 'New technology solutions could be transformative—but only if executives properly prepare their organizations.' Organizations began partnering with foundational AI and data innovators, offering cloud-based machine learning platforms that can analyze inventory levels, vendor performance, safety stock requirements, duplicate SKUs, and usage history. Real-time monitoring and analysis enabled companies to identify parts and products held in inventory, potentially saving millions in revenue risk. 2022: Connecting Disparate Data Streams By 2022, AI adoption in supply chains had gained significant momentum. Enterprises looked to nearshoring and onshoring as proactive supply chain strategies, leveraging AI for strategic inventory and supply optimization. As big data proliferated, companies sought solutions to harmonize information from separate systems for optimal supply chain performance. Machine learning significantly improved demand forecasting accuracy, while enterprises using AI-powered predictive maintenance achieved measurable reductions in asset downtime. However, in this rush to adopt AI-powered solutions, many businesses saw a disconnect between the effort and intent for success from the realized value for the business stakeholders, which hurt trust in AI solutions. 2023: The Generative AI Revolution The introduction of Generative AI marked a watershed moment for operational applications. GenAI promised—and delivered—cost savings and enhanced user experiences in supply chain planning and logistics. AI expanded into supply chain finance, detecting fraud, assessing creditworthiness, and streamlining supplier onboarding processes. Enterprises sought partners with AI-native, purpose-built solutions, like harmonizing MRO data across global supply chains, processing movement and procurement data for millions of SKUs to generate actionable insights. These solutions enabled companies to reduce lead times, decrease working capital requirements, and improve uptime by ensuring the availability of supply for critical parts. 2024: Strategic Necessity Achieved 2024 marked the inflection point at which AI became integral to supply chain resilience. Organizations integrated AI for enhanced traceability and visibility, while deep learning and machine learning employed prescriptive analytics to optimize the balance between costs and risks. Manufacturers began implementing fuzzy logic search capabilities to locate parts across facilities and deployed AI-driven criticality assignments for more informed stocking decisions. AI systems have matured in their ability to handle unstructured data and deliver real-time insights with increasing reliability. The 2025 Landscape: Beyond Automation Just a few years ago, enterprises primarily sought AI to automate existing processes. Today's demands are even more sophisticated. We're seeing requests for real-time data integration across call center operations, database inventory systems, and broader enterprise infrastructure. To address government tariffs, companies utilize AI to identify immediate demand requirements, as well as to forecast demand for 3-, 6-, and 12-month periods. Looking ahead, agentic AI is establishing its presence in supply chains. Industry analysts at EY forecast that more organizations will deploy agentic AI in their supply chains over the next 12-18 months. Agentic AI-driven 'Robot' helpers will be available around the clock to guide and optimize. A Proven Path Forward Over the past half-decade, AI has fundamentally transformed inventory management, asset optimization, and MRO operations. As we progress through 2025, AI systems will continue to lead supply chain maturation efforts. While skepticism about AI's capabilities persists across many industries, manufacturing and industrial sectors have proven AI's value in understanding and managing complex data networks. This technology enables data harmonization, cost reduction, and resilience enhancement for asset-intensive industries. AI has established itself as the proven approach for managing supply chain data. Companies that align with AI's momentum will continue reaping substantial value from these investments. And we're just getting started.
