The elephant in the room: “care robots”
When the word “AI” is mentioned in the healthcare sector, two images often arise in the mind: either the cold care robot that replaces humans, or complex algorithms that nobody understands. Both are wrong.
At CAATS, we don’t see AI (artificial intelligence) as a replacement for humans, but as “augmented intelligence” – an extension of human capabilities. We use technology to give superpowers where our natural senses reach their limits.
Here are three concrete examples of how AI is already revolutionizing everyday care – without any science fiction.
1. the end of the “Tower of Babel” (language)
In 24-hour care, the reality is often a linguistic mosaic: a Romanian caregiver looks after an Austrian senior, the agency is based in Slovakia and the family doctor only speaks German.
Misunderstandings here are not only annoying, they are dangerous. “Is he in pain?” or “Has he taken medication?” should not be a matter of interpretation.
The AI solution: Our CAATS Messenger uses Natural Language Processing (NLP). This means that everyone writes in their native language, but the recipient reads in their own. In real time. The AI breaks down the language barrier. It ensures that empathy and medical information is received – no matter where you come from.
2. the objective eye (wound analysis)
“Has the wound gotten smaller?” This question is often answered based on gut feeling or inaccurate photos with a paper ruler applied. Different lighting conditions and shooting angles make a real comparison almost impossible.
The AI solution: computer vision. When you scan a wound with the CAATS app, the AI “sees” more than the human eye. It recognizes wound edges, distinguishes tissue types (necrosis, fibrin) and calculates the area with millimetre precision in 3D. The result is not an estimate, but a hard data point. This gives wound managers the certainty that a therapy is really working – or needs to be adjusted.
3. the sixth sense (prediction)
In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, gradual changes can go unnoticed. A slightly elevated blood pressure here, a small weight loss there. Individually inconspicuous, in total a risk.
The AI solution: pattern recognition. Our algorithms in the telecare sector never sleep. They analyze the continuous stream of vital data in the background. If patterns emerge that indicate a deterioration (before the emergency occurs), the system sounds the alarm. It is the “digital guardian angel” that watches over the data.
Conclusion: technology makes us more human
We must stop seeing AI as the enemy of humanity.
Is it human if a wound heals badly because we have misjudged it?
Is it human if a caregiver is isolated because they don’t speak the language?
No. AI takes over the tasks that machines are better at (measuring, translating, analyzing data) so that we can concentrate on what humans are irreplaceable at: Listening, comforting and caring.