Geneva: Scientists have developed a new artificial intelligence system that can track medical staff through cameras and detect whether they maintain proper hand hygeine, an advance that could reduce the risk of hospital- acquired infections. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) conducted a study using a combination of depth cameras and computer-vision algorithms. They tracked people around two hospital wards and automatically identified when they used gel dispensers. "We're trying to shed light on the dark spaces of healthcare. Understanding the problem is just the first step," said Alexandre Alahi from EPFL.

Scientists have developed a new artificial intelligence system that can track medical staff through cameras and detect whether they maintain proper hand hygeine, an advance that could reduce the risk of hospital- acquired infections. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) conducted a study using a combination of depth cameras and computer-vision algorithms. They tracked people around two hospital wards and automatically identified when they used gel dispensers. "We're trying to shed light on the dark spaces of healthcare. Understanding the problem is just the first step," said Alexandre Alahi from EPFL.

If you end up in a hospital in Europe, you have a one in 20 chance of acquiring an infection while there. One of the leading causes is a lack of hand hygiene. Even though hospitals are filled with alcohol-based gel dispensers and advisory posters, they're not working. The conclusion of a recent pilot study may just have found the solution. Using a combination of depth cameras and computer-vision algorithms, a research team has tracked people around two hospital wards and automatically identified when they used gel dispensers.