AI-assisted oxygenation device shows promise in Quebec hospitals [Video]

A new device assisted by artificial intelligence (AI) used in respiratory therapy is being tested in Quebec hospitals and may eventually be deployed on a wider scale. It automatically adjusts patients’ oxygen intake, reducing the risk of under-oxygenation.

Millions of patients receive oxygen every day, whether in hospital or at home. The device, which goes by the name “Free O2,” uses AI to adjust the flow of oxygen every second according to the patient’s needs.

This tool was developed at the Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec – Université Laval (IUCPQ). It was approved by Health Canada in 2019.

At the Lakeshore General Hospital in Montreal, testing of the device in the intensive care unit has been promising. The device reduced the average hospital stay for patients from 40 hours to 11 hours.

In intensive care, nurses and respiratory therapists see patients every hour, whereas on other …