By Andrew Liszewski
In yet another case of science-fiction meeting reality, health workers at the Royal Cornwall Hospital have started using small voice-activated badges that allow instant communication between the staff just by saying the person’s name or their department. A technology not unlike the communicators used by characters in ‘Star Trek TNG’.
Developed by BT Health, the BT Managed Vocera system is a huge improvement over cellphones, radios and even pagers. Since the badges are designed to be constantly worn, even important staff members who are often away from their desks or phones can instantly be contacted. And since the technology is all voice-activated, the staff no longer needs to memorise phone numbers or maintain lists of contact numbers in order to stay in touch with every department.
[Hospital Communicators] VIA [BBC News]
The device also causes embarasing moments when the nurses are talking bad about the patients and they say the patients name. DOH!