Smart healthcare IoT applications based on fog computing: architecture, applications and challenges

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Healthcare Technology
• Internet of Things (IoT)

Background:

• Medical and healthcare applications are key drivers of scientific and technological advancement.
• Cloud computing has become dominant in healthcare information systems, offering Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service, and Software as a Service.
• A significant limitation of cloud-based healthcare applications is high service response time, critical in emergency scenarios impacting patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare various computing technologies including cloud, edge, and fog computing.
• To propose a common architectural framework for Internet of Health Things (IoHT) applications utilizing fog computing.
• To identify potential applications and challenges of integrating fog computing into IoT Healthcare.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of cloud, edge, and fog computing technologies.
• Development of a fog computing-based architectural framework for IoHT.
• Exploration of integration challenges and potential applications within healthcare IoT.

Main Results:

• Fog computing presents a viable solution to overcome the latency issues associated with cloud-based healthcare systems.
• The proposed fog computing framework demonstrates significant potential for enhancing IoHT applications.
• Analysis indicates substantial opportunities for fog-based solutions in the evolving landscape of Healthcare IoT.

Conclusions:

• Fog computing is crucial for improving real-time performance in critical healthcare applications.
• The study provides a foundational guide for future development of fog-based Healthcare IoT applications.
• Integrating fog computing into IoHT promises to enhance patient monitoring, decision-making, and resource management in emergencies.