Kinect based gesture recognition and videoconferencing is helping Spanish authorities deliver healthcare and minimise costs. As the world looks to telemedicine to improve care and keep control of spiralling medical costs, the Basque Country has worked with Accenture to deliver a monitoring solution called TEKI that brings healthcare into the houses of patients. Architects of a year long pilot programme claim to have saved $55 million (€40 million) by eliminating 52,000 hospital visits.
Real-time data gathered from a hear rate monitor, a spirometer (to check respiration) and the Kinect motion sensor (which evaluates mobility) is sent to a doctor.
Some aspects of care can be delivered remotely and doctors can send prescriptions to patients.
The Kinect unit can also be used to control the system that patients can access through a monitor of TV in their homes. Communication is supported with video and text interaction between doctor and patient.