Networked medical technology? But secure!
At the COSMO Science Forum, scientists from Dresden research institutions present their projects in medical technology. The current “Dr. Future” exhibition at the Dresden Kulturpalast invites visitors to try things out and discuss them. Here, Barkhausen Institut is presenting an interactive exhibit on networked devices in healthcare.
Networked medical devices allow information to be passed on more quickly and therefore provide better care for sick people. For example, patients with a networked pacemaker can keep an eye on their medical data independently.
But is networked medical technology reliable and secure?
The Barkhausen Institut’s exhibit explains the three pillars of trustworthy connected healthcare: Data protection, IT security and operational security.
© Toni Kretschmer/NewPic Photography
The first side of the exhibit provides an introduction to the topic and how to use its interactive elements.
If you take a look inside the exhibit, visitors can see a heart with a pacemaker. The data exchange between this medical device and a glowing cloud at the top of the exhibit can be followed via LEDs. The cloud symbolizes the so-called data cloud, in which the information is securely stored and from which it can be retrieved at any time.
The other three sides of the exhibit explain the fundamental aspects that need to be considered with networked medical technology:
Operational safety is a requirement for devices to work reliably and without malfunctions. Visitors can trigger a malfunction or disrupt the wireless network by pressing a button with a fictitious lightning strike.
© Barkhausen Institut
Data protection ensures that sensitive data is only accessible to authorized persons. Using a stethoscope, a patient file is made visible, allowing visitors to learn the differences between anonymized, pseudonymized and personal data.
IT security protects against attacks and manipulation of medical devices. Visitors learn about three different types of typical attacks and practice them on the network between the pacemaker and the cloud. In the event of a hacked data exchange or a malfunction, the cloud and the flowing data turn red.
© Barkhausen Institut
These abstract topics are made accessible to the general public through playful elements, visualizations and practical texts. Visitors can develop an awareness of how important data protection and security are for a reliable and trustworthy digital medical technology.
Visitors are also encouraged to reflect. They can take part in interactive opinion barometers at the exhibit and place their votes in the opinion of the previous participants. The questions address expectations, potentials or fears in the context of digital medical technology. The opinions will be published as a review after the end of the exhibition and discussed in the research groups.
The exhibit was developed as part of the SEMECO (Secure Medical Microsystems and Communications) project. Within this project, the Trustworthy Data Processing group and the Connected Robotics Lab (CoRoLa) of the Barkhausen Institut are researching the development of a secure and trustworthy digital platform for medical microsystems. The focus is on enabling data protection-compliant processing of sensitive medical data in the cloud.
The CoRoLa team designs and implements exhibits with low-threshold access for all interested parties from a young age. In this way, current research at the Barkhausen Institut is communicated and made visible to the general public. In addition, demonstrators, measurement setups and prototypes are developed for research projects and scientific exchange at conferences.
