In this project we have developed a voice data recording watch and the accompanying software and hardware needed to build an integrated solution for medical data capture and automatic codification. The stand-alone watch is used to capture, either by voice recording or by form-filling, the relevant information on the healthcare service being provided. The captured information is stored locally and then downloaded to a PC, via a USB connection. In the PC, speech is translated first into text and then into medical codification, with minimum user-intervention. The resulting information is stored into local or centralized patient databases, to be sent later to 3rd-party SW for billing, reporting and statistics. The user controls the stand-alone watch either via a touch-screen based interface or via a voice-driven interface for hands-free operation. In both interfaces, user feedback is given using the LCD display and the watch hands.

 The IMI contribution was the deveopment of the PC software application, designed around a GUI from which the following functional modules are called:

• Authentication for PC / Watch users,
• Data Transfer from/to the watch,
• Automatic Speech-to-Text and Text  Processing,
• Tarmed Explorer (a WEB interface to explore and choose among a selection of most-likely medical codes), 
• Management of captured and processed data in Patient Databases
• Maintenance and Configuration operations.

• Start date : 04.02.2004
• End date : 25.02.2008
• Subsidy: 967 400 CHF
• Overall budget: 3 023 271 CHF
• Financing : Commission for Technology and Innovation (CTI)

[1] S.Grassi, P.Heck, P.Stadelmann, P.Cotofrei  & all, "Watch-Dictaphone for Automatic Medical Codification", In Proceedings of the European Signal Processing Conference (EUSPICO)2008, Lausanne, 2008 .

[2] Pascal Heck (et al.). Bulletin SSC No. 59 - décembre 2008. « Modico: la première montre à l'écoute de son porteur ».