Blog

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July 24th, 2024 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

Voyce Companion Animal Laser Focus on Execution and Market Domination

How to Execute Your Startup Strategy with Precision and Dominate Your Market

As a startup founder, you have a vision of creating a product or service that solves a problem, meets a need, or fulfills a desire for your target customers. You have a strategy of how to achieve your vision, based on your unique value proposition, competitive advantage, and market opportunity. But having a great strategy is not enough. You also need to execute it with precision and speed, or else you risk entry of new competitors, losing to your existing competitors, wasting your resources, or missing your market window.

In this blog post, we will share some insights on why and how a startup company must be laser focused on precise execution if it plans to get to market successfully. We will also describe the Peter Thiel concept of first dominating a small market segment and then growing with competitive advantage in adjacent market segments, and how it can help you achieve your strategic goals.

Why Precise Execution Matters for Startups

Precise execution is the implementation of a strategic plan to reach business goals and objectives. It comprises the daily structures, systems, and operational goals that set your team up for success. Precise execution is critical for startups because:

It helps you validate your assumptions and test your hypotheses. By executing your strategy with precision, you can quickly and accurately measure your progress, learn from your feedback, and iterate on your product or service. This way, you can avoid building something that nobody wants, or spending too much time and money on something that doesn’t work.
It helps you gain traction and momentum. By executing your strategy with precision, you can deliver value to your customers, generate revenue, and grow your user base. This way, you can build a loyal and engaged community, attract investors and partners, and increase your brand awareness and reputation.
It helps you outperform your competition and seize your market opportunity. By executing your strategy with precision, you can create a product or service that is better, faster, cheaper; for your customers, more profitable, or more convenient than the alternatives. This way, you can differentiate yourself from your rivals, satisfy your customers’ needs and wants, and capture a large share of your target market. In the case of Voyce, this initial market segment is companion animals – starting specifically with Dogs and Cats.

How to Execute Your Startup Strategy with Precision

To effectively execute your startup strategy with precision, you need to follow some best practices, such as:

Commit to a strategic plan. Before diving into execution, you need to ensure that all decision-makers and stakeholders agree on the strategic plan. You need to have a clear and shared understanding of your vision, mission, values, goals, and objectives. You also need to communicate your strategic plan to your team and align their roles and responsibilities with it.
Plan your actions and resources. Once you have a strategic plan, you need to break it down into actionable and measurable steps. You need to define the tasks, milestones, deadlines, and deliverables for each step. You also need to allocate the necessary resources, such as time, money, people, and tools, for each step.
Monitor your performance and progress. As you execute your strategy, you need to track and evaluate your performance and progress. You need to collect and analyze data, such as metrics, indicators, and feedback, that reflect your outcomes and outputs. You also need to compare your actual results with your expected results and identify any gaps or deviations.
Adjust and improve your strategy and execution. Based on your performance and progress, you need to adjust and improve your strategy and execution. You need to identify and address any issues, challenges, or risks that arise. You also need to leverage any opportunities, insights, or learnings that emerge. You need to update your strategic plan and your actions and resources accordingly.

How to Dominate Your Market with the Peter Thiel Concept

One of the most influential and successful entrepreneurs and investors in the world is Peter Thiel, the co-founder of PayPal, Palantir, and Founders Fund. In his book Zero to One, he shares his rules and principles for creating and scaling innovative and valuable businesses. One of his key concepts is the idea of first dominating a small market segment and then growing with a competitive advantage in adjacent market segments.

According to Thiel, most startups fail because they try to capture a large and competitive market from the start, without having a clear differentiation or a loyal customer base. He argues that the best way to succeed is to start with a smaller market that has high growth potential and low competition, and then become the leader or the monopoly in that market. He calls this the “secret of scale”. This is exactly what Voyce is doing with its breakthrough new technology platform and product line for Contextualized Vials Signs Monitoring of Companion Animals.

By dominating a small market, you can achieve several benefits, such as:

You can create a product or service that is tailored to the specific needs and preferences of your customers, and that delivers superior value and satisfaction to them.
You can build a strong and lasting relationship with your customers and turn them into advocates and promoters of your brand. In our case the Voyce product line.
You can generate high profit margins and cash flows and reinvest them in your product development and innovation.
You can establish your reputation and credibility, and attract more customers, investors, and partners.
Once you have dominated a smaller market, you can then expand to adjacent markets that are larger, more diverse, and more competitive, but that have some connection or similarity to your original market. This is a very clear strategy for Voyce since the underlying technology platform will transform the treatment of virtually any species of animal.
You can leverage your competitive advantage, such as your product quality, customer loyalty, brand recognition, or technological innovation, to capture a significant share of these markets. You can also adapt your product or service to the new customer segments and their needs and wants.

By growing to adjacent markets, you can achieve several benefits, such as:

You can increase your market size and potential, and reach more customers and revenue streams.
You can diversify your product portfolio and customer base, and reduce your dependence and risk on a single market.
You can create network effects and economies of scale, and enhance your efficiency and profitability.
You can maintain your market leadership and fend off your competition.

Some examples of successful companies that followed the Peter Thiel concept are:

Amazon: It started as an online bookstore, then expanded to other categories of e-commerce, such as electronics, clothing, and groceries, and then to other businesses, such as cloud computing, streaming, and artificial intelligence.

Facebook: It started as a social network for college students, then expanded to other demographics of users, such as professionals, celebrities, and seniors, and then to other platforms, such as Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus.

Netflix: It started as a DVD rental service, then expanded to online streaming of movies and TV shows, and then to original content production and distribution.

Conclusion

To sum up, precise execution is essential for startups to achieve their strategic goals and objectives. By following some best practices, such as committing to a strategic plan, planning your actions and resources, monitoring your performance and progress, and adjusting and improving your strategy and execution, you can implement your strategy with accuracy and speed. By applying the Peter Thiel concept, you can also dominate your market and grow your business with competitive advantage. This is the Voyce Way.

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July 10th, 2024 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

Voyce – Advancing Evidence-Based Veterinary Practice

Introduction

As clearly articulated by Dr. Johnson in an article published several weeks ago,

“These are exciting times for veterinary professionals. With more extensive data collection and higher fidelity diagnostics seamlessly integrated through in-clinic technology, veterinary teams are equipped to provide care to more pets in an increasingly evidence-based and efficient manner.”

Advancing patient care through diagnostic innovations

by Jason Johnson DVM, MS, DACT. Veterinary Practice News May 29^th, 2024

With its Voyce animal health product-line, One Health Group (OHG) is at the forefront of bringing the types of radical new diagnostic technology to market in a fusion of innovation that will increasingly enhance clinical outcomes and efficiency.

In the ever-evolving landscape of veterinary medicine, the integration of technology and evidence-based practice is revolutionizing how we approach animal healthcare. The Voyce health diagnostics platform by OHG stands at the forefront of this transformation, offering a glimpse into the future of pet care.

The Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Pyramid

The EBP Pyramid is a visual representation used to illustrate the hierarchy of evidence in healthcare research. It’s designed to help practitioners identify the best evidence quickly and efficiently. Here’s a brief overview of the levels from the top to the bottom of the pyramid:

Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: At the very top, these studies synthesize all available evidence on a particular research question, using systematic and standardized methods.
Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs): Considered the gold standard for clinical trials, RCTs randomly assign participants to different groups to compare outcomes.
Cohort Studies and Case-Control Studies: These observational studies can provide insights into the effects of interventions or the natural history of diseases.
Case Series and Case Reports: Descriptions of treatment and outcomes for individual patients or a series of patients.
Animal Research and Laboratory Studies: While not directly applicable to animal health, these studies can provide valuable background information.

The pyramid emphasizes that the higher the level, the more synthesized and potentially stronger the evidence is, with systematic reviews and meta-analyses being preferred due to their comprehensive approach to evidence gathering and analysis. However, it’s important to note that the quality of the evidence at any level depends on the methodology and execution of the individual studies.

The Evolution of Animal Care: Embracing Evidence-Based Practice

In the realm of animal healthcare, EBP) is a paradigm that integrates clinical expertise with the best available evidence and patient values to make decisions about the care of individual patients. This approach, which has long been a cornerstone of human medicine, is now gaining momentum in veterinary and animal care fields.

The Latest Theory: A Multifaceted Approach

The latest theory in animal EBP emphasizes a multifaceted approach that encompasses not only physical health but also the psychological well-being of animals. It advocates for the handling and training of animals, especially those in zoos and aquariums, using evidence and ethics-based approaches. This includes providing animals with choice and control over their interactions, utilizing positive reinforcement training, and ensuring ongoing assessments of animal well-being.

Integration of Technology

Advancements in technology have also played a pivotal role in this new theory. Platforms, like the Voyce health diagnostics system, represent a significant leap forward, offering real-time monitoring and data analysis to support evidence-based decisions. These tools enable veterinarians to detect subtle changes in an animal’s condition, facilitating early intervention and improving outcomes.

Living Evidence Frameworks

Another aspect of the latest theory is the development of ‘living’ evidence frameworks for in vivo animal research. These frameworks are designed to be dynamic, incorporating continual synthesis and quality assessment of experiments to ensure that practices remain current and relevant.

Ethical Considerations

Ethics remain at the heart of EBP, guiding the care and management strategies to respect the intrinsic value of animals. The latest theory calls for a balance between scientific inquiry and ethical responsibility, ensuring that the pursuit of knowledge does not compromise the welfare of animals.

The Dynamic Nature of Animal Care

The latest theory in animal evidence-based practice is a testament to the dynamic nature of animal care. It reflects a growing understanding of the complex needs of animals and the ethical imperatives of their caretakers. As we continue to integrate technology, ethics, and the latest research into our practices, we move closer to a future where every animal receives the highest standard of care—care that is informed, compassionate, and rooted in the best evidence available.

This article is a synthesis of the current trends and theories in animal evidence-based practice, drawing from recent literature and technological advancements to paint a picture of a more informed and ethical approach to animal care.

The Voyce Advantage

Voyce’s innovative wearable technology is designed to monitor and analyze a pet’s vital signs and other health metrics continuously. With its patented sensor platform, Voyce provides veterinarians with clinically validated data, enabling earlier detection of potential health issues. This proactive approach to diagnostics is not just about treating illnesses—it’s about preventing them.

Diagnostic Innovations in Patient Care

Recent advancements in veterinary diagnostics, such as fecal antigen testing and urine-based testing, have significantly improved the accuracy and efficiency of patient care. These innovations allow for faster, more accurate diagnoses, leading to timely interventions and better treatment outcomes. Voyce’s technology aligns perfectly with this paradigm, offering seamless integration with in-clinic technology and empowering veterinary teams to provide care that is both evidence-based and efficient.

A Synergy of Technology and Care

The article “Advancing patient care through diagnostic innovations” in Veterinary Practice News highlights the critical role of emerging diagnostic tools in enhancing patient care. By integrating automated cytology results with diagnostic tools and software systems, veterinary professionals can devote more time to patient care, lightening the analytical workload. The Voyce platform complements this by simplifying result management and interpretation through its intelligent analytics and remote monitoring capabilities.

Conclusion: The Future is Now

The synergy between Voyce’s health diagnostics platform and the latest diagnostic innovations is a testament to the power of technology in advancing veterinary medicine. As we continue to embrace these tools, we pave the way for a future where every pet receives the highest standard of care—care that is informed, timely, and above all, compassionate.

In conclusion, Voyce-centric evidence-based practice is not just a concept; it’s a reality that’s improving the lives of pets and pet parents. With platforms like Voyce and advancements from companies such as IDEXX and Merck, we are entering a new era of veterinary diagnostics—one that promises better health outcomes and a deeper understanding.

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June 26th, 2024 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

Non-Skin Contact, On or Off Body Blood Pressure – A Truly Radical Voyce Innovation

Principles and Importance of Blood Pressure in Veterinary Medicine

Introduction

Systemic arterial Blood Pressure (BP) is essential for adequate tissue perfusion, delivering oxygen to meet energy demands. Monitoring blood pressure trends provides crucial data about a patient’s cardiovascular status and informs treatment decisions. In this blog post we explore the current state of BP Monitoring techniques; the pain points associated with Veterinary BP; the medical importance of diagnosing Hypertension and Hypotension; and finally what Voyce does to introduce radical innovation to the practice.

Blood Pressure Measurement Techniques

Direct Arterial BP (DABP) Monitoring:

- Gold Standard: DABP monitoring involves an arterial catheter connected to a pressure transducer. It provides continuous data on systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure (SAP, DAP, and MAP).

Indirect Arterial Blood Pressure (IABP) Monitoring

- Methods: Doppler ultrasonography and Oscillometric BPM.
- Doppler Ultrasonography: Uses 10 MHz ultrasound waves to detect blood flow in a peripheral artery.
- Provides audible signals via a probe and speaker.
- Estimates systolic arterial pressure (SAP) in awake animals but does not directly measure MAP or DAP.

Normal Arterial BP Values (adult dogs and cats):

- SAP: 90 to 140 mm Hg (dogs), 80 to 140 mm Hg (cats)
- DAP: 50 to 80 mm Hg (dogs), 55 to 75 mm Hg (cats)
- MAP: 60 to 100 mm Hg (both dogs and cats)

Importance of Blood Pressure Monitoring

- Tissue Perfusion: Adequate blood pressure ensures oxygen delivery to tissues.
- Cardiovascular Health: Detects hypertension or hypotension.
- Treatment Guidance: Helps define treatment approaches.
- Accurate blood pressure assessment is crucial for optimal patient care in veterinary medicine.

Difficulties in Blood Pressure Monitoring (BPM) in Veterinary Medicine

BPM in dogs and cats is crucial due to the potential impact of both hypotension and hypertension on patient outcomes. While various monitoring devices are available, each has its advantages and disadvantages. Let’s look at the difficulties associated with obtaining accurate BP measurements in veterinary practice.

Introduction

As we gave already stated, systemic arterial blood pressure plays a critical role in maintaining tissue perfusion and delivering oxygen for energy demands. However, measuring BP in veterinary patients presents unique challenges. Let’s delve into these difficulties:

1. Invasive vs. Noninvasive Monitoring

Direct Arterial Blood Pressure (DABP) Monitoring:

- Method: Arterial Catheter and Transducer apparatus.
- Advantages: DABP monitoring provides continuous data on systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure (SAP, DAP, and MAP). It simplifies arterial blood gas sampling.
- Disadvantages: Requires placement of an arterial catheter, limiting its routine use.
- Accuracy: This is the Gold Standard of BPM.

Indirect Arterial Blood Pressure (IABP) Monitoring:

- Methods: Doppler Ultrasonography and Oscillometric BPM.
- Advantages: Noninvasive and commonly used.
- Disadvantages: Not as accurate at DABP and only provides a Spot Check.
- Accuracy: IABP readings may not precisely reflect MAP or DAP.
- Signal Weakness: When vasoconstriction or hypotension occurs, obtaining a reliable signal can be challenging.

1. Standardization and Reliability

Trained veterinary nurses play a crucial role in BP measurement.

Ensuring standardized techniques and recording reliable, repeatable results is essential for accurate diagnosis and treatment of systemic hypertension.

Conclusion

Obtaining accurate blood pressure measurements in veterinary medicine requires balancing invasiveness, accuracy, and practicality. Clinicians must choose the most appropriate method based on individual patient needs and available resources.

It is worth noting that BMP in animals can cause excessive White Coat Syndrome and skew the readings. It is very difficult to conduct BMP on aggressive animals.

Remember that while direct monitoring provides precise data, indirect methods remain valuable in clinical practice.

Oscillometric Blood Pressure Monitoring with Dogs and Cats.

Oscillometric BP measurement is a noninvasive technique used in veterinary clinical practice. Let’s delve into the principles, advantages, and practical aspects of Oscillometric BPM for Dogs and Cats:

How Oscillometric BP Monitoring Works

Principle:

- Oscillometric units measure air pressure fluctuations inside a cuff placed around an artery.
- These fluctuations result from pulsations of the underlying artery.
- The digital display shows systolic pressure (SAP), diastolic pressure (DAP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP).

Procedure:

- Place the cuff—attached to an Oscillometric monitor—on a distal artery (like Doppler placement).
- The device automatically inflates the cuff to occlude arterial blood flow.
- As the cuff deflates, it detects oscillations in pressure.
- These oscillations correspond to the systolic and diastolic phases of the cardiac cycle.

Advantages:

- Provides intermittent measurements.
- Useful for monitoring trends over time.

Normal Arterial Blood Pressure Values for adult Dogs and Cats

- Systolic arterial pressure (SAP): 90–140 mm Hg (dogs), 80–140 mm Hg (cats)
- Diastolic arterial pressure (DAP): 50–80 mm Hg (dogs), 55–75 mm Hg (cats)
- Mean arterial pressure (MAP): 60–100 mm Hg (both species)

Clinical Applications

Routine Monitoring:

- Assessing overall cardiovascular health during wellness exams.
- Detecting early signs of hypertension or hypotension.

Anesthesia and Surgery:

- Monitoring BP during procedures.
- Adjusting anesthetic depth based on MAP.

Chronic Conditions:

- Managing hypertensive patients (e.g., cats with chronic kidney disease).
- Evaluating response to treatment.

Considerations

- Cuff Size: Proper cuff size is essential for accurate readings.
- Patient Positioning: Ensure the limb is at heart level.
- Rest and Calm: Minimize stress during measurements.

In summary, Oscillometric BPM provides valuable insights into cardiovascular status. Regular assessments help maintain our pets’ well-being and enhance their quality of life.

Doppler Ultrasonography with Dogs and Cats

This technique is used in veterinary medicine to measure blood pressure noninvasively. Let’s explore how it works:

Principle: Doppler ultrasonography uses 10 MHz ultrasound waves to detect blood flow in a peripheral artery.
Detection: The probe (equipped with a piezoelectric crystal) is placed over an artery, such as the dorsal pedal artery.
Audible Signal: When blood flow is detected, the Doppler system converts it into an audible sound via a speaker.
Limitation: Doppler readings do not directly provide measurements of mean arterial pressure (MAP) or diastolic arterial pressure (DAP) in small animals1.
Application: Clinicians use Doppler readings to estimate systolic arterial pressure (SAP) in awake animals.
Assessment: Doppler technology helps evaluate cardiovascular health by assessing blood flow in peripheral arteries.
Diagnosis: It aids in diagnosing conditions like peripheral artery disease, thrombosis, and hypertension.
Monitoring: Veterinarians can monitor blood pressure trends and assess treatment efficacy using Doppler

Hypertension and Hypotension in Cats and Dogs

Effects of Undiagnosed Hypertension in Cats and Dogs

1. Ocular and Neurologic Emergencies:

- Untreated hypertension can lead to acute blindness, seizures, and vascular “accidents” that resemble strokes in both cats and dogs.
- These emergencies can be fatal if not promptly addressed.

1. Cardiac Damage:

- Chronic high blood pressure puts strain on the heart and blood vessels.
- Over time, this can lead to cardiac damage, including hypertrophy (enlargement) of the heart muscle and impaired function.

1. Renal Damage:

- Hypertension affects kidney function by damaging blood vessels within the kidneys.
- It can lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and even acute kidney injury (AKI) if blood pressure remains elevated.

1. Retinal Changes:

- Hypertension causes changes in the blood vessels of the retina (the back of the eye).
- These changes can lead to retinal detachment, bleeding, and ultimately vision loss.

1. Behavioral Changes:

- Cats and dogs with high blood pressure may exhibit altered behavior, such as restlessness, confusion, or irritability.

Effects of Undiagnosed Hypotension in Cats and Dogs

1. Impaired Tissue Perfusion:

- Hypotension reduces blood flow to vital organs and tissues.
- This can lead to inadequate oxygen delivery and tissue damage.

1. Clinical Signs:

- Clinical signs of hypotension include weakness, lethargy, pale mucous membranes, and cold extremities.
- In severe cases, collapse or shock may occur.

1. Renal Compromise:

- Systolic arterial pressure (SAP) below 90 mmHg or mean arterial pressure (MAP) below 60 mmHg constitutes hypotension.
- Renal autoregulation can maintain glomerular filtration pressure within a range of 80–200 mmHg; thus, SAP below 80 requires urgent intervention to prevent AKI.

1. Causes of Hypotension:

- Hypotension can result from decreased preload (e.g., hypovolemia), cardiac dysfunction, or vasodilation.
- Identifying the underlying cause is crucial for effective management.

Management Strategies

Hypertension:

- Regular blood pressure monitoring is essential for early detection.
- Treatment may involve antihypertensive medications, dietary adjustments, and managing underlying conditions.

Hypotension:

- Address the underlying cause (e.g., fluid therapy for hypovolemia).
- Urgently raise blood pressure to prevent renal damage.
- Avoid ACE inhibitors and NSAIDs, which can compromise renal autoregulation.

In summary, timely diagnosis and appropriate management are crucial to prevent serious consequences associated with both hypertension and hypotension in our feline and canine companions. Regular veterinary check-ups and blood pressure assessments play a vital role in maintaining their health and well-being.

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring: A Comprehensive Review

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) has emerged as the gold standard for assessing BP and guiding antihypertensive treatment.

Introduction

ABPM provides continuous BP measurements over a 24-hour period, capturing variations throughout the day and night. Unlike BP readings taken in a medical practice, which may be influenced by white-coat effect or masked hypertension, ABPM offers a more accurate representation of an individual’s true BP profile.

Advantages of ABPM

- Holistic Assessment: ABPM captures BP fluctuations during daily activities, sleep, and wakefulness, providing a comprehensive view of an individual’s BP pattern.
- Risk Stratification: Cardiovascular complications correlate more closely with 24-hour and nighttime BP than office BP, making ABPM a valuable tool for risk assessment.
- Differentiating Hypertension Phenotypes: ABPM allows identification of white-coat hypertension (elevated office BP with normal ambulatory BP) and masked hypertension (normal office BP with elevated ambulatory BP).

Limitations

- Cost and Availability: ABPM devices can be expensive, limiting widespread adoption.
- Discomfort: Some patients find wearing the cuff uncomfortable during sleep.
- Interpretation Challenges: Clinicians must understand ABPM indices (average 24-hour, daytime, and nighttime BP) and their significance.

Clinical Implications

- Treatment Decision-Making: Focus on 24-hour and nighttime BP levels for risk stratification and treatment decisions.
- Complementary Approach: ABPM and home BP monitoring complement each other, enhancing clinical flexibility.
- Future Directions: Standardized validation protocols for wearable BP devices are needed to improve clinical applicability.

In Summary, ABPM revolutionized hypertension management in human management despite its limitations. In the next section we see how Voyce goes dramatically further with radical innovation and will truly take ABPM to a completely new level.

Truly Radical Innovation for Veterinary BMP and ABPM

One of the signature capabilities of the Voyce Health Diagnostics Platform is the ability to accurately measure BP. Moreover, measuring BP using Voyce radically advances the state of the art in veterinary medicine in the following ways:

BP can be measured without making any skin contact with the animal.
BP can be measured using a Voyce sensor that is several inches away from the animal.
Both Systolic and Diastolic BP is measured with clinically validated accuracy.
BPM can be done continuously, intermittently or single time (spot check).
Voyce BPM is motion tolerant allowing for ABPM in a way that takes its efficacy to a much higher level.
White Coat Syndrome is eliminated. This allows for clinical accuracy way beyond the current techniques we have described.
BPM can be performed by minimally trained staff verses it being a challenging skill for even the most seasoned veterinarian.
When wall powered, Voyce BPM can be used for high accuracy use in anesthesia settings, eliminating the need for DABP and thus eliminating risk of infection from the need for a catheter.
The Off-Body wall powered Voyce monitor can perform BPM on unattended animals – which truly remarkable.

In summary, Voyce BPM and ABPM is designed for use both in clinical settings where even 10 minutes of BP capture from a wearable form factor ups the game dramatically. Even a Spot Check using a Voyce device in-clinic is greatly superior in both efficacy, safety and comfort for the animal (and way less stressful for the clinician and at all skill levels). When it comes to remote monitoring using the Voyce ABPM capabilities, there is nothing to compare in the current marketplace. In every important way, Voyce is making BPM highly accessible and accurate in Veterinary Medicine.

But let our message in this blog post be very clear, as indicated by its title. Voyce can accurately measure BP without any skin contact, and also when completely off-body. This is a Truly Radical Innovation. Even without this incredible capability, Voyce BPM and ABPM takes blood pressure to an entirely new level in veterinary medicine. However, completely off-body BPM is an innovation that once again enables One Health Group to elevate medical care of animals way ahead than that of humans.

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June 12th, 2024 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

Revolutionizing Companion Animal Health Insurance

Introduction

As the number of Pet Parents continues to rise, so does the demand for comprehensive health coverage for our beloved pet companions. Pet health insurance plays a pivotal role in safeguarding their well-being and providing peace of mind to pet owners.
Pet health insurance operates similarly to human health insurance but is specifically tailored for animals. Here are the key points:

• Coverage: Pet insurance typically covers veterinary expenses related to accidents, illnesses, and preventive care. This includes routine check-ups, vaccinations, surgeries, medications, and emergency treatments.

• Plan Options: Just like human insurance, pet insurance offers various plans with different levels of coverage. Pet Parents can choose plans based on their budget and the specific needs of their pets. At the low end, there are plans to cover regular preventative care check-ups and standard preventative care medications. The top end has various options with differing deductible levels, including how comprehensive the coverage is when major interventions are required.

• Reimbursement Process: When a pet receives medical care, the owner pays the veterinarian directly. The insurance company then reimburses a portion of the expenses based on the chosen plan.

• Financial Relief: Unexpected veterinary bills can be financially draining. Pet insurance ensures that Pet Parents can provide necessary care without worrying about the cost. With insurance, Pet Parents are more likely to seek prompt medical attention for their pets, leading to better outcomes and improved quality of life for the animals.

Global Pet Insurance Economics

The adoption of pet insurance has been steadily increasing worldwide. Here are some key points:

Global Market Growth:

The global pet insurance market was estimated to be around $9.4 billion (€8.6B) in 2022.
It is expected to jump to $10.8 billion (€9.9B) this year.
By 2030, the industry could reach a market value of $32.7 billion (€29.8B) due to a projected yearly growth rate of 16-17%.

Driving Factors:

Generational Aspect: Younger adults are delaying having children and opting for pets instead. They consider their pets part of the family (as have previous generations) and want to provide them with proper care, including insurance coverage.
Rising Costs of Pet Care: Advances in veterinary medicine have led to more treatment options, but costs are rising. Pet insurance provides peace of mind and ensures financial constraints don’t limit care options.

Market Trends:

North America: Approximately 5.36 million pets were insured in North America in 2022, representing a 22% increase. New players are entering the market with innovative ideas, and pet retailers are expanding into insurance offerings.
Global Outlook: Increasing pet adoption and awareness of veterinary health are driving demand for pet insurance worldwide. By 2032, the market is projected to reach USD 44.99 billion.

Understanding the Voyce Platform

The Voyce Platform: A Game Changer:

In the evolving landscape of veterinary medicine, technology integration has been pivotal in enhancing the quality of care provided to companion animals.
Among the myriads of innovations, the Voyce Platform stands out as a transformative force in the realm of companion animal health insurance.

The Voyce Platform is a comprehensive health monitoring system that utilizes cutting-edge ultra-wideband technology to track vital health bio markers in pets.

Here’s how it works:

Sophisticated Sensors: The Voyce sensor platform non-invasively collects clinically validated vital signs and other critical and deeper health bio markers, with full contextual information. It enables integration with other on-body, in-body, or near-body sensors.
Seamless Connection: The platform seamlessly connects Pet Parents, Veterinarians, and Insurance Providers. This ensures a continuum of care that is both proactive and informed.

Voyce’s Impact on Health Insurance

The Voyce Platform has a multifaceted impact on companion animal health insurance:

Preventive Care: By enabling early detection of potential health issues through continuous monitoring, the Voyce Platform facilitates preventive care strategies. This not only improves the well-being of pets, but also reduces the likelihood of costly medical interventions—an advantage for both pet owners and insurance companies.
Personalized Policies: Using data collected by the Voyce Platform, insurance providers can offer personalized insurance policies. These tailored plans reflect individual health needs and risk profiles of pets, leading to more accurate pricing and coverage options.
Streamlined Claims Process: Objective health data from the Voyce Platform simplifies the claims process. Insurance companies can quickly verify claims, reducing time and resources spent on claim adjudication.
Enhanced Customer Engagement: For pet owners, the Voyce Platform offers an engaging way for Pet Parents to participate in their pets’ health management. This fosters a stronger bond between pets, parents, veterinarians, and insurance providers.

In summary, pet health insurance, exemplified by the Voyce Platform, is not merely a safety net—it’s an investment in the health and happiness of our pets. Whether it’s a playful puppy or a wise old cat, every pet deserves the best care possible, and insurance helps make that a reality.

Conclusion

The Voyce Platform is revolutionizing the way companion animal health insurance operates. By bridging the gap between pet health data and insurance processes, it ensures a more efficient, accurate, and caring approach to animal welfare. As we look to the future, the Voyce Platform is poised to become an indispensable tool in the insurance landscape, promoting the health and happiness of pets and their Pet Parents alike.

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May 1st, 2024 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

The Indispensable Veterinary Technician

Introduction

The veterinary technician is the linchpin of modern veterinary practice. Their role is multifaceted, encompassing a wide range of responsibilities that are critical to the daily operations of veterinary clinics and hospitals. With the integration of Voyce technology, these responsibilities are not only enhanced, but also streamlined, paving the way for a future where veterinary technicians are even more integral to animal healthcare.

Today’s Veterinary Technician: A Jack-of-All-Trades Enhanced by Voyce

Veterinary technicians today are expected to master over 200 tasks, including nursing, imaging, laboratory procedures, pharmacology, anesthesia, and more. The introduction of Voyce technology into their toolkit allows for real-time health monitoring, which aids in early detection of potential health issues and enhances the ability to provide proactive care.

The Value of Credentialed Veterinary Technicians with Voyce

Credentialed veterinary technicians bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to veterinary practices. Voyce technology complements this by providing detailed health data, enabling technicians to make informed decisions and assist veterinarians with precision. This symbiosis can enhance efficiency, improve patient care, and increase practice revenue.

Overcoming Workforce Shortages with Voyce

The veterinary field is currently grappling with a significant shortage of veterinary technicians. Voyce technology can help mitigate this by optimizing the workflow, allowing technicians to monitor multiple patients simultaneously and reducing the manual workload.

The Future of Veterinary Technicians and Voyce

The future of veterinary technicians is bright, with their role becoming increasingly important in veterinary medicine. Voyce technology is expected to play a pivotal role in this evolution, offering advanced diagnostic tools and patient management systems that will enable technicians to provide even more comprehensive care.

Technological Advancements and Specializations with Voyce

Advancements in technology will likely lead to new specializations within the field of veterinary technology. Voyce’s capabilities in telemedicine, advanced imaging, and health monitoring will open new avenues for veterinary technicians to specialize and excel in their careers.

The Pivotal Role of Veterinary Technicians in Sterilization and the Durability of Voyce Devices

In the realm of veterinary medicine, the assurance of sterility in clinical environments is paramount. Veterinary technicians stand at the forefront of this critical task, wielding expertise and diligence to maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and infection control. Their role in sterilization processes is not merely supportive, but central to the operational integrity of veterinary practices.

Veterinary Technicians: As Guardians of Sterility Veterinary technicians are the custodians of the sterilization process, responsible for the meticulous cleaning, disinfection, and preparation of surgical instruments and equipment. Their knowledge of microbiology and infection control protocols ensures that all implements are free from microbial life, thereby safeguarding patient health and preventing the spread of disease.

Voyce Devices: Engineered for Chemical Resilience Voyce devices, designed with the rigors of veterinary practice in mind, are constructed to withstand the harsh chemicals commonly used in veterinary disinfection. Their robust build quality means that they remain functional and reliable, even after repeated exposure to a wide array of sterilizing agents, ensuring that veterinary technicians can rely on these tools without the concern of chemical damage.

The Future: Veterinary Technicians and Voyce Synergy Looking ahead, the synergy between veterinary technicians and Voyce technology will only deepen. As Voyce devices continue to integrate seamlessly into the daily workflow, they will provide veterinary technicians with real-time data and analytics, enhancing their ability to monitor and respond to the health needs of their patients. This partnership promises to elevate the standard of care and efficiency within veterinary clinics.

The importance of veterinary technicians in the sterilization of implements and devices cannot be overstated. They are the unsung heroes who ensure that veterinary clinics operate within the bounds of safety and excellence. Coupled with the chemical resilience of Voyce devices, veterinary technicians are well-equipped to face the challenges of today and embrace the advancements of tomorrow in veterinary medicine.

Conclusion

The role of the veterinary technician is crucial today and will become even more so in the future. Voyce technology is set to be a game-changer, enhancing the capabilities of veterinary technicians, and transforming the landscape of veterinary practice. They are not just support staff; they are essential members of the veterinary healthcare team, whose contributions are vital to the success and advancement of the profession.

This post offers an in-depth look at the current and future roles of veterinary technicians in veterinary practice, now interwoven with the capabilities of Voyce technology. It underscores the challenges faced today and the potential for growth and specialization in the years to come, all through the lens of technological advancement. For those interested in exploring this career path or enhancing their current practice with skilled veterinary technicians and Voyce technology, the journey promises to be both rewarding and essential to the future of animal healthcare.

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April 16th, 2024 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

Personalized Health Monitoring for Cats

Introduction

The Voyce wearable health monitor is a small, lightweight device that can fit onto multiple off the shelf collars and harnesses. Also available are specially design collars from OHG made from a clinically validated material. The device is small enough to be comfortably warn by most cats. Considerable effort was put into this design using focus groups of experienced veterinarians and pet owners, in addition to being informed from over a million hours of collected health data within a variety of clinical settings.

However, beyond the extensive work put into the user experience for the pet, caretaker, and the veterinary practice, the standout feature of the Voyce monitor is the innovative and extensively patented sensor platform from which the wearable is derived.

The Wearable Voyce Monitor Sensor Platform

The wearable device is one form factor of the underlying Voyce Sensor Platform. The platform itself is made via a very clever approach to miniaturizing the underlying electronics, which includes a wide range of innovative sensors, and a set of clinically validated algorithms to drive how the device utilizes these sensors. In fact, it is these algorithms that determine how the sensors are used for different species, but beyond this, the algorithms determine how the sensors operate as effective health monitoring of different breeds. With different environmental hazards to deal with, Voyce is also designed to withstand extremes in temperatures, weather conditions, the strongest bites from other animals, etc.

This means that for the same sensor platform can be used inside an appropriately designed wearable device for virtually any animal. Some examples include dogs, cats, horses, cows, pigs, goats, giraffes, wolves, non-human primates, lions, and even dolphins. The list goes on and on. However, out of the gate, OHG is entirely focused on the companion animal market with the plan to dominate this space worldwide with both mobile and clinical handheld monitoring solutions that revolutionize companion animal veterinary care. In this blog we focus on how Voyce is used for Domestic Cats.

Common Health Conditions for Cats

Some of the most common health conditions for domestic cats are:

Vomiting, which can have many causes, such as eating something Poisonous, Hairballs, Infection, or Diabetes (see below for more detail on Feline Diabetes).
Feline Lower Urinary Tract Diseases (FLUTD), which is a group of diseases that affect the bladder and urethra of cats. Symptoms include straining to urinate, bloody urine, and urinating in unusual places.
Fleas, which are parasites that feed on the blood of cats and can cause itching, skin infections, and anemia. Fleas can also transmit other parasites, such as tapeworms.
Tapeworms, which are intestinal worms that live in the digestive tract of cats and can cause weight loss, vomiting, and diarrhea. Tapeworms are usually acquired by ingesting fleas or rodents that are infected with them.
Diarrhea, which can have many causes, such as Infection, Food Intolerance, Stress, or Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Diarrhea can lead to Dehydration and electrolyte imbalance if not treated promptly.
Eye Problems, such as Conjunctivitis, Cataracts, Glaucoma, or Corneal Ulcers. Eye problems can cause redness, discharge, swelling, or pain in the eyes of cats.
Hypertension is also common and is a condition where a cat’s blood pressure is abnormally high (See below for more detail on Feline Hypertension).

Voyce Personalized Health Monitoring for Cats

Voyce is the epitome of personalized medicine in the sector of health monitoring. The Voyce device is programmed by the veterinarian based on the specific health conditions of the Cat. When a Cat first comes under the care of a veterinarian who uses Voyce, an initial baseline of general health will be obtained. When symptoms begin to appear Voyce can also be used to help diagnose the specific health condition – often in the vet clinic while waiting to be seen. Once a specific health condition(s) is/are identified, Voyce is programmed to provide deep diagnostics focused on the relevant areas.

Voyce can help with the common health conditions in the following ways. The Voyce device is set up to monitor these specific conditions:

Vomiting: Voyce can monitor the activity level and calories burned of your cat, which can indicate if they are eating normally or not. If your cat is vomiting frequently, their activity level and calories burned may decrease, which can alert you to seek veterinary attention. Voyce can also directly capture the vomiting process of the cat via its advanced motion sensors and provide an ongoing report.
FLUTD: Voyce can monitor the resting heart rate and respiratory rate of your cat, which can reflect their stress level and hydration status. If your cat has FLUTD, their resting heart rate and respiratory rate may increase, which can signal that they are in pain or discomfort.
Fleas: Voyce can monitor the amount of direct sunlight exposure of your cat, which can affect their risk of getting fleas. If your cat is exposed to too much sunlight, their skin may become dry and irritated, which can attract fleas. Voyce can also monitor the activity level and calories burned of your cat, which can indicate if they are scratching excessively or losing weight due to fleas.
Tapeworms: Voyce can monitor the resting heart rate and respiratory rate of your cat, which can reflect their metabolic rate and intestinal health. If your cat has tapeworms, their resting heart rate and respiratory rate may increase, which can indicate that they are losing nutrients and energy to the parasites.
Diarrhea: Voyce can monitor the activity level and calories burned of your cat, which can indicate if they are dehydrated or malnourished due to diarrhea. If your cat has diarrhea, their activity level and calories burned may decrease, which can alert you to provide them with fluids and food.
Eye problems: Voyce can monitor the amount of direct sunlight exposure of your cat, which can affect their eye health. If your cat is exposed to too much sunlight, their eyes may become inflamed or damaged, which can lead to eye problems. Voyce can also monitor the resting heart rate and respiratory rate of your cat, which can reflect their blood pressure and oxygen level. If your cat has eye problems, their resting heart rate and respiratory rate may increase, which can indicate that they are in pain or distress.

Feline Hypertension

Feline hypertension is a condition where a cat’s blood pressure is abnormally high. It can be caused by various diseases, such as chronic kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, or heart disease. It can also damage the cat’s organs, such as the eyes, brain, or kidneys. Some symptoms of feline hypertension are sudden blindness, seizures, dilated pupils, or increased thirst and urination.

To diagnose feline hypertension, today a veterinarian will measure the cat’s blood pressure using a special device attached to a cuff on the cat’s leg or tail. The measurement should be taken several times in a quiet and calm environment, as stress can affect the results. A normal systolic blood pressure for a cat is below 150 mmHg, while a high-risk level is above 180 mmHg. Measuring Blood Pressure this way put enormous stress on many cats and is commonly called White Coat Syndrome (WCS), Voyce completely solves this problem by taking all the necessary Blood Pressure readings without the Cat even being aware that this is happening and thus reducing WCS.

Treatment for feline hypertension depends on the underlying cause and the severity of the condition. Medications such as amlodipine or benazepril can help lower the blood pressure and prevent further organ damage. The cat’s diet and weight may also need to be adjusted to improve the blood pressure. Regular monitoring and follow-up visits are important to check the cat’s response to treatment and adjust the dosage if needed. This is a sweet spot for Voyce. Voyce can be set with a specific operating model that is for Feline Diabetes. This means monitoring all the necessary biomarkers, and even things like how much the cat is eating or drinking over time along with its weight. Things like this are possible because Voyce is a platform technology and can be embedded within other devices specifically made for things like eating control and they may also contain a weight mat and so on.

Feline hypertension is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition, but it can be managed with proper diagnosis and treatment. If you have an older cat or a cat with a chronic disease, it is recommended to have their blood pressure checked regularly by a veterinarian. This can help detect feline hypertension early and prevent complications. Going to a veterinary practice that uses Voyce will give your cat far superior care.

Feline Diabetes

Diabetes in cats is a condition in which the body cannot properly produce or respond to the hormone insulin, which regulates the blood sugar levels. Diabetes can cause various symptoms, such as weight loss, increased thirst and urination, low energy, and vomiting. Diabetes can be diagnosed by blood tests and urine samples and treated by insulin injections and diet control. Diabetes is more common in obese, older, and male cats, and some breeds may have a higher risk. Diabetes can lead to serious complications if left untreated, such as dehydration, ketoacidosis, nerve damage, and infections.

If a Cat were diagnosed with having Diabetes (which is not uncommon), then Voyce would be programmed to monitor this specific disease state in depth. There are multiple circumstances where emergencies can emerge, and Voyce can provide appropriate alerts. Voyce can also provide a detailed analysis over time of how the disease is being controlled or is progressing.

Conclusion

This is how Voyce provides deeply personalized health monitoring. This is a massive improvement over the current state of veterinary medicine and indeed human medicine. Voyce will advance veterinary medicine to a level above human medicine. Just as other personalized diagnostics and treatments are progressing, so Voyce being the same progression in the segment of monitoring health.

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March 20th, 2024 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

Voyce Usage Models and Economics for the Veterinary Practice

Introduction

As with other new groundbreaking technologies there are many questions concerning its adoption curve. To be a commercial success, a solution must have a stickiness profile that can be leveraged to benefit all key stakeholders in the long run.

Throughout the R&D cycle of Voyce, we have been highly conscious of such imperatives. Although we have created a breakthrough technology platform, we have spent considerable resources to optimize things like usability, cost of goods, clinical efficacy, and we have validated each of these extensively with stakeholder groups.

In this blog post we will focus on perspective of the companion animal veterinary practice. With enormous pent-up demand, this market segment is our first focus. The most important things our veterinary customers ask are:

What king of training do I and my techs need to be able to use the device?
How will Voyce fit into how my practice operates?
What kind of improvement can I expect in the clinical outcomes of my patients?
What will be the experience of my customers using Voyce, and what will be the impact on average lifetime value?
What do the economics of adopting Voyce look like for my Practice?

A typical preventative care veterinary workflow

A typical workflow for a preventative care veterinary visit for a dog involves several steps:

The veterinarian will take a detailed history of the dog’s health status and home life to identify any changes that may have occurred. The primary means of focusing where a physical assessment will focus is based on the health issues the pet parent raises.
They will perform a physical examination using palpitation techniques and devices such as a stethoscope, ophthalmoscope, thermometer, and otoscope, to identify abnormalities such as:
1. Heart murmurs.
2. Eye and Ear abnormalities,
3. Enlarged lymph nodes.
4. Skin and/or abdominal tumors.
5. Enlarged or shrunken kidneys.
6. Liver, or spleen that may indicate systemic disease.
7. Bacterial or Viral Infections
8. The veterinarian will also evaluate the dog’s eyesight and orthopedic health.
9. An evaluation of the skin and coat will determine the need for flea and tick control or diagnose skin infections (bacterial, fungal, or parasitic). Hair loss may indicate systemic disease or hormonal imbalances.

After the physical examination, the veterinarian may recommend diagnostic testing such as:

Blood work for comprehensive insights into the things like metabolism and infection.
Urinalysis may immediately detect abnormalities, and cultures may be ordered where infection is suspected.
Fecal analysis to provide additional diagnostics related to things like intestinal health.
Heartworm testing to identify any underlying health issues that may not be apparent during the physical examination.

The veterinarian may also recommend vaccinations to protect against infectious diseases. Taking the rabies vaccine is mandatory per a defined schedule under US federal law.

Based on the dog’s age and overall health status, the veterinarian may recommend more frequent visits than once a year. For example, senior dogs (older than 7 to 8 years old) should see their veterinarian twice a year or more frequently because illness is more common in older pets; therefore, illnesses can be identified and treated sooner.

It is important to note that preventive health care is always better than treating an illness after it has occurred. Regular veterinary visits can help detect health issues early on when they are easier to treat. Certain breeds of animal are known to be at risk for multiple health problems.

The usage model for Voyce

A veterinary practice will set up a workflow that best suits their way of working. However, the following is a generic workflow to utilize Voyce:

To create a baseline of vital signs while the patient is waiting, the Pet Parent checks in, and the front desk staff provides a Voyce health monitor for the pet to wear on their own collar or harness while waiting to be taken back to the examination room. With a standard waiting time of 15 minutes, Voyce collects many instances of the primary vital signs. This provides much better insight to a single spot check performed in the examination room.
The weight of the animal is measured by having them stand on a weight platform.
The Pat Parent is called to bring their pet back to an examination room. The clinician (e.g., Vet Tech or Veterinarian) will be alerted to any anomalies in the vital signs collected while the animal was waiting.
The Pet Parent will converse with the clinician about any health issues they think may be affecting the pet.
The Clinician will then complete a full physical assessment of the animal as previously described. If they have access to a handheld Voyce device, they may augment this assessment to obtain detailed cardiovascular and pulmonary metrics, with AI driven diagnostics support. The Voyce handheld can also take vital sign measurements more efficiently than other equipment veterinarians may use.
If necessary, the clinician will prescribe a suitable pharmaceutical and advise on changes to other indicators such as activity and nutrition. They will also have the option to prescribe a Voyce monitor for a specific period (e.g., 2 weeks) that is configured to monitor specific biomarkers to assess if the treatment plan is working. For example, medicine may be prescribed to lower blood pressure, and the Voyce device will monitor blood pressure and record it along with a detailed of contextual data. The is commonly known as Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring in human medicine.
At check out, the Pet Parent will pay their bill at the front desk. At this point, the in-clinic health monitor will be returned, and the Pet Parent will be given (if prescribed) a Voyce monitor that is pre-configured based on the personalized medical needs of the patient.
The returned in-clinic monitor is sterilized and reset to be ready for the next patient.
The Pet Parent will install the Voyce App on their smartphone and follow the instructions to set up the Voyce device for their smartphone, and connect it to their home Wi-Fi. There will be a charger, although most usage models do not require the device to be charged before it is time to be returned to the veterinary practice.
During the monitoring period, targeted health data will be streamed to the Voyce Cloud; this includes multiple biomarkers along with the context of when the reading was taken – e.g., ambulatory, sleeping, after vigorous exercise, etc.
The Voyce App will inform the Pet Parent when the Voyce device is to be returned to the veterinary practice. This may be done via shipping carrier, such as the USPS, with the device packaged in its carefully designed box. Alternatively, the device could be taken to the practice in person.
When the veterinary practice receives the device, it is cleaned and reset to get it ready to be configured for the next patient.

This workflow is intended to be a generic example of how Voyce could be inserted into the everyday workflow of a veterinary practice. From this workflow, an incredible set of health data will be available in the Voyce cloud for a clinician to examine in conjunction with Voyce AI for a diagnostics support. Note that there are possibilities for external companies to be inserted into this workflow to enable the Veterinary Practice to focus on clinical medicine, and be relieved of device maintenance issues.

Economics of adopting Voyce

Voyce is a very high-tech health monitoring solution, and this is how it is perceived by Pet Parents. Voyce can do things by the way it harnesses electromagnetic radio waves (Ultra-wideband to be specific) to analyze he animal’s health like no other health monitor has ever done. Before we investigate where Voyce can have an impact on economics, let’s look at the typical economic profile of a smaller veterinary practice in the US.

The typical economics for a small veterinary practice in the US may vary depending on the type, size, location, and management of the practice. However, based on a web search, some of the average or median figures that can indicate the economic performance of a small veterinary practice are:

Annual revenue per full-time equivalent veterinarian: $530,805 to $574,639
Average doctor transaction: $154
Average client transaction: $134
Gross revenue: $1,000,000
Profit margin: 14%
Professional income of associate veterinarians: $100,000
Professional income of practice owners: $140,000
Costs and expenses: 86% of revenue
Budgeting and forecasting: 10% annual growth

These are some of the typical economics for a small veterinary practice in the US, but they may not reflect the specific situation of every practice. Veterinary practices use their own data and benchmarks to evaluate their economic performance and identify areas for improvement.

However, with the adoption of Voyce, the following impact on the economics of the practice are expected:

A few of the economic performance indicators above focus on Revenue and Income for the practice. Voyce does add significant value in both areas. Voyce is a brand-new service the practice can offers its customers. We anticipate an average small veterinary practice to utilize 12 Voyce seats, which in full utilization provides a six-figure increase in Annual Revenue. With a Gross Margin of over 40% for the practice, Voyce offers one of the most profitable services the practice can possibly offer.
It is true that the average transaction costs for the clinicians and the clients increase, but this is insignificant compared with the increase in income.
Finally, the practice can expect a growth in clients if capacity is available. This increases the overall profitability of the practice. In addition, operating costs are potentially reduced since examinations can be done by lower skilled staff due to the automated nature of Voyce, and extremely low levels of training needed.

The Consolidation of Veterinary Practices

The consolidation of veterinary practices is a trend where larger veterinary groups or animal health strategics acquire smaller ones or individual practices, with the aim of increasing profits and efficiency. This trend has been accelerated by the pandemic, which has boosted the demand for pet-care services. According to some estimates, corporate consolidators now own about 25% of all companion animal practices in the USA, and account for at least 40% of all client visits.

There are different types of veterinary consolidators, such as veterinarian-led groups, private equity firms, and conglomerates. Some of the biggest players in the market are Mars Inc., IVC Evidensia, NVA, and VetCor. The consolidation of veterinary practices has advantages and disadvantages for both practice owners and veterinarians. Some of the benefits include access to capital, economies of scale, professional development, and reduced administrative burden. Some of the challenges include loss of autonomy, cultural changes, ethical dilemmas, and increased competition.

The consolidation of veterinary practices is expected to continue in the future, as more practice owners consider selling their businesses and more investors see the potential of the veterinary industry. However, there are also some factors that could limit the growth of consolidation, such as high asset valuations, antitrust regulations, and the emergence of independent practice associations.

Conclusion

The veterinary practice must spend some time to work the usage of Voyce into their workflow. We have touched on some of these issues in this post. However, there are some other considerations such as who monitors the dashboard covering multiple animals that are under care while using Voyce. Another example is what level of alerting are clinicians or administrative staff willing to receive concerning health of the animals. This can be pet parent only alerting through to a complex alerting process that includes various clinicians with different levels of severity and urgency indicated. The veterinary practice can choose how Voyce alerting works.

Other considerations are how the provisioning, deployment and return of Voyce devices works when in a remote monitoring mode; this may include how devices are stored, made readily available for personalized operation, cleaned to a clinically acceptable level when returned, etc. Outsourcing some operations may be worth the cost.

Voyce is designed to be integrated with the most common Practice Information Management Systems (PIMS), and it also has an open API to facilitate integration with other less common systems. Over time, OHG intends to expand out of the box integration for more and more PIMS. Again, there is an opportunity here to outsource the small integration effort to an IT firm.

An important consideration is that Voyce is designed to be used with very little training, and yet provide a detailed set of biomarkers, including deep cardiovascular and pulmonary analyses. Voyce AI is also available to assist the clinician in diagnostics, based on the health data collected. Another important consideration is that Voyce offers a mobile monitoring system that is focused on trend analysis with the animal in their home environment. It is also designed as a personalized medicine system that is configured for the specific needs of the animal. This allows for more critical monitoring after events, such as cardiac or orthopedic surgery.

Finally, Voyce also breaches the critical adoption barrier by being immediately accretive to the revenue and income of the veterinary practice. It is ideally suited to work for both a small independent practice, but also for large practice groups where things like best clinical practice of Voyce usage can be easily shared across the group.

Overall, the Voyce system was designed for easy adoption. It will immediately become a profit center; will improve clinical outcomes; and increase customer satisfaction.

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February 7th, 2024 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

How the Voyce Platform Technology Can Enhance Large Animal Research in Zoo Settings

Introduction

Zoos are not only places for public education and entertainment, but also important centers for animal research and conservation. Zoos house a wide variety of species, many of which are endangered or threatened in the wild and provide opportunities for close observation that is not possible in natural habitats. However, zoos also face challenges and limitations in conducting animal research, such as logistical constraints, lack of resources and expertise. Therefore, zoos need to adopt innovative and efficient methods and tools to enhance their research capabilities and outcomes.

Voyce’s health monitoring efficiencies for Zoos

One such set of tools are delivered via the Voyce platform, e.g., Wearables, Handhelds and Embedded Devices. The Voyce wearable health data is transmitted to the cloud or a private network, where it is processed and analyzed using artificial intelligence. The results are personalized via context-based health information, and recommendations are provided along with the biometric data.

While zoos will continue to utilize larger, more expensive diagnostic equipment such as X-Ray machines, the Voyce Platform offers a wide range of lower cost, and more comprehensive set of diagnostics. It has the benefit of requiring little training to use, and all the different form factors provided, send data to a common cloud where the results of millions of hours of anatomical, contextual, functional, and physiological data feed Voyce AI, providing a very useful diagnostics and wellness support tool.

Applications of Voyce for large animal health monitoring

The Voyce platform has the potential to enhance large animal research in zoo settings in multiple ways. It can:

Provide remotely acquired, accurate data on animal health and physiology, such as heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, heart and lung function, activity, and stress levels, without the need for invasive or stressful procedures. This can help zoo researchers monitor the health and well-being of individual animals and populations, and detect any signs of disease, injury, or environmental stress.
Enable zoo researchers to collect data on animal behavior and movement patterns, such as social interactions, foraging, migration, and territoriality, by combining the health metrics with GPS and accelerometer data. This can help zoo researchers understand the ecological factors that shape animal behavior and adaptation.
Facilitate zoo researchers to conduct experiments and interventions, such as testing the effects of environmental changes, human activities, or conservation measures on animal health and behavior by allowing them to remotely control the device settings and receive feedback on the outcomes. This can help evaluate the impact and effectiveness of their research and management actions.

Using Voyce to Create Innovative New Large Animal Health Monitoring

The initial form factors of the Voyce platform are designed for companion animals, such as dogs and cats. However, work has been roadmapped to create large animal monitoring devices, such as for elephants, rhinos, giraffes, and bears, with some modifications and challenges.

For example, the device size, shape, and attachment method need to be adjusted to fit the anatomy and physiology of different species and individuals. The device battery life and durability also needs to be modified to withstand the harsh and variable conditions of the zoo environment. The device data transmission methods can be addressed using long range wireless communication methods. The device data analysis and interpretation will be based on new clinically validated algorithms for specific species.

The Voyce platform technology is an innovative and promising tool that can enhance large animal research in zoo settings by providing rich and accurate data on animal health and behavior and enabling remote and non-invasive monitoring and experimentation. By using this technology, zoo researchers can gain new insights and knowledge on the biology and ecology of large animals and contribute to their conservation and welfare.

Common Health Problems for large animals in a Zoo

Some of the common health problems experienced by various large animals in zoos are:

Pododermatitis (bumblefoot), which is a bacterial infection of the footpad that causes inflammation, swelling, and lameness. It can occur due to injury, infection, inappropriate substrate, obesity, or unilateral limb problems. It can also lead to chronic pododermatitis, septicemia, or amyloidosis.

Voyce uses its highly advanced gait analysis algorithm to detect changes that could indicate the early onset of Pododermatitis. This allows much earlier intervention to correct the problem with greater probability of success.

Chronic Stress caused by the unnatural and stressful conditions of captivity, such as small enclosures, lack of stimulation, social isolation, or overcrowding1. Chronic stress can lead to psychological and physical harm, such as stereotypic behavior, aggression, self-harm, immune suppression, and increased susceptibility to infections.

Voyce has extremely advanced behavioral algorithms that can alert the animal’s caretakers of changes that indicate the early onset of stress.

Aspergillosis, which is a fungal infection of the respiratory tract that causes weight loss, increased WBC counts, and dyspnea. It can also result in per acute death or hemorrhage if the fungus invades the trachea or a major blood vessel. It is often associated with reduced ventilation, increased crowding, and other stressors.

Voyce specializes in cardiopulmonary monitoring. When there is a problem with the respiratory tract, Voyce provides the earliest possible way to quantify the problem and alert the animals caretaker(s).

Dental problems, such as tooth decay, fractures, infections, or abscesses, which can affect the feeding, digestion, and overall health of the animals. Dental problems can be caused by poor diet, lack of dental care, or trauma.

Voyce can detect – to a very fine level – any changes in the dental landscape of an animal. This combined with Voyce’s pain detection algorithms to detect potential dental problems very early and allow caretakers to take rapid action to keep the animal healthy and out of pain.

Obesity, which can result from overfeeding, lack of exercise, or hormonal imbalances. Obesity can increase the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and reproductive problems.

The tracking of the correction of obesity in animals is one of the signature capabilities of Voyce. The Voyce system also monitors various other parameters in obese animals due to frequent comorbidities that will likely be present.

Conclusion

These are some of the common health problems experienced by various large animals in zoos, but there may be others depending on the species, breed, individual, and environment. Zoos should adopt preventive and curative measures to ensure the health and welfare of their animals, such as providing adequate space, enrichment, nutrition, veterinary care, and environmental management. The addition of Voyce health monitoring into the zoo’s environment will also dramatically improve the preventative care programs that excellent zoos implement.

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January 24th, 2024 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

The Future of Veterinary Medicine: Trends and Current Challenges

The Latest Veterinary MedTech Trends

The field of veterinary medicine is constantly evolving, and it’s important for veterinarians to stay up to date with the latest trends. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the emerging trends in veterinary medicine and how they’re shaping the future of the industry. Later, we will also look at the major challenges in veterinary medicine today.

Looking to the future, the four standout innovations that will transform veterinary care are:

Personalized Medicine

One of the most exciting trends in veterinary medicine is the rise of personalized medicine. This approach involves tailoring treatments to individual animals based on their unique genetic makeup, lifestyle, and environment. By taking a more personalized approach to veterinary care, veterinarians can provide more effective treatments and improve outcomes for their patients.
Voyce technology can play a key role in personalized medicine by providing veterinarians with detailed insights into an animal’s health. Voyce technology uses non-invasive, contactless sensors to monitor an animal’s vital signs, activity levels, and other deep health metrics. This data can be used to identify patterns and trends that might not be visible to the naked eye, or even when using spot check devices. Voyce allows veterinarians to make more informed decisions about an animal’s care.
Voyce is for veterinary professionals and is prescribed to their patients. It enables veterinary practices and hospitals to remotely (and clinically) monitor their patients, ushering a new era of individualized healthcare. Voyce allows veterinary staff to set unique health parameters for each patient, and Voyce will automatically alert them of any anomalies in key vital signs and wellness indicators as often (or not) that they deem necessary. The veterinary team may then review the individual data in conjunction with medical records and knowledge of the patient to determine the appropriate course of action.
With Voyce, veterinary staff are empowered to provide the most informed care and may identify underlying health issues before the animal shows physical signs. The award-winning, patented Voyce Health Monitor has previously been named as one of the year’s hottest new health technology innovations by leading media outlets. In a common form factor, the device is worn on a collar or harness. This lightweight Health Monitor uses non-invasive sensors to collect data that the average activity tracker cannot provide, such as resting and ambulatory heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and additional robust activity metrics including gait analysis, level of intensity, calories burned, and distance traveled. What really sets it apart is the ability to monitor deep cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions without any skin contact.
Collected health data syncs wirelessly to the Voyce Cloud and is accessible in the interactive Voyce Wellness Management Center that can be used via web-enabled devices and through mobile device native apps. Pet parents can access unique and interactive features to track vital trends, set goals and reminders and receive tips.

However, Voyce is sold as a professional medical device only to Veterinarians. It is the Veterinarian who will configure the Voyce device for the specific monitoring needs of the animal. This is how personalized medicine is dramatically enhanced.

Regenerative Medicine

Another emerging trend in veterinary medicine is the use of regenerative medicine. This approach involves using stem cells, growth factors, and other biological materials to repair damaged tissues and organs. Regenerative medicine has the potential to revolutionize the way a wide range of conditions are treated, from arthritis to heart disease.
While Voyce does not directly enhance regenerative medicine for veterinary patients, it can provide valuable data to help identify and manage recurring health issues. This data can be used to develop novel therapies for animals, including regenerative medicine. Regenerative medicine is a rapidly growing area of product development that offers great promise in the development of novel therapies for animals. These products, which include animal cell-based therapies such as stem cells, have the potential to repair diseased or damaged tissues in animals through regeneration and healing.
Voyce technology can help veterinarians take advantage of regenerative medicine by providing detailed information about an animal’s health before and after treatment. By monitoring an animal’s vital signs and other deep health metrics, veterinarians can track the progress of regenerative treatments and adjust as needed. Voyce can be configured for a specific Regenerative monitoring scheme through its innovation software.

Gene Editing

Gene editing is another trend that’s poised to have a major impact on veterinary medicine in the coming years. This approach involves using CRISPR and other gene editing tools to modify an animal’s DNA, potentially curing genetic diseases and improving overall health.
Voyce technology can help veterinarians take advantage of gene editing by providing detailed information about an animal’s genetic makeup. By monitoring an animal’s vital signs, detailed cardiovascular parameters and other health metrics, veterinarians can identify genetic mutations and other issues that might be addressed through gene editing. This is archived through Voyce’s unprecedented ability to dynamically monitor internal organs and other internal physiological systems, utilizing Voyce AI to assist in diagnostics.

Artificial Intelligence

Finally, artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the top trends in veterinary medicine today. AI has the potential to revolutionize the way we diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions, from cancer to infectious diseases. However, access to large amounts of accurate data is the lifeblood of AI, and this is where Voyce shines.
Voyce technology can help veterinarians take advantage of AI by providing detailed data about an animal’s health and wellbeing. via Voyce AI for diagnostics support. By analyzing vast amounts of context rich data by using machine learning algorithms, Voyce AI supports veterinarians in identifying patterns and trends that might not be visible to the naked eye. This can help veterinarians make more informed decisions about an animal’s care, leading to better outcomes for their patients.

Current Challenges for Veterinary Practices

The veterinary industry is facing several challenges that need to be addressed to ensure the success of veterinary practices in the future. Some of the issues that are trending in veterinary medicine are as follows:

Shortage of qualified team members: The historically low unemployment rate continues to affect the ability of veterinary practices to find and hire qualified team members. For veterinarians, the problem is even worse: Mars Veterinary Health estimates that by 2030, a shortage of nearly 15,000 doctors in veterinary medicine will exist.

The primary impact Voyce is to bring very high-tech professional devices into the veterinary mainstream, starting with supporting Academic Institutions of Veterinary Medicine in the adoption of these exciting new technologies. The fact being that the medical technology available to veterinarians and vet techs will be far beyond the capabilities available in human medicine. What a great incentive.
The shortage issue is also immediately mitigated since Voyce diagnostics can be accurately captured by lower skilled staff and thus increase clinically viable human resources. Using Voyce can also help mitigate vet tech and other shortages since Voyce can be used to monitor animals overnight (i.e., in clinic), or when the animal is in a holding pen at a hospital, etc.

Veterinary burnout: Adding to the challenge is the loss of people from the industry through burnout and compassion fatigue. Animal owners/caretakers are often frustrated with service levels due to the staff shortages. To keep customers happy, existing staff work to such an extreme level that they burnout. Nonetheless this is often impossible and causes conflicts between staff and clients. This is negative for everyone involved. When combined with the heartbreaking necessities to facilitate end of life for animals that have become loved, it is no surprise that the veterinary industry suffers the highest level of suicide rate across all business sectors.

Voyce will be able to have an immediate and major impact in this respect. This is because Voyce enables highly streamlined veterinary workflows. Lower skilled staff can now be utilized in diagnostics settings by using automated capabilities of Voyce. In addition, owners and caretakers tend to be impressed with the type of personalized care that Voyce enables for their animals. The overall result is a reduction in burnout and an increase in customer satisfaction.

Product shortages: Several major products have gone on long-term backorder. Supply chain issues are hitting even the biggest vendors—and that affects a practice’s protocols and revenues.

Voyce provides the immense advantage of reducing the needs for difficult to obtain equipment. Voyce provides diagnostics that no other device on the market can match in terms of pervasiveness, ease of use, speed, accuracy, automation, and cost. Voyce is designed, developed and manufactured in the USA.

Online pet pharmacies: Online commerce isn’t going away, and the allure extends to pharmacies, which can offer lower costs and more convenience. With Walmart entering the market, and Amazon increasing the range of products it provides, it’s going to become increasingly difficult to justify preventing veterinary clients from buying online.

When it comes to how pharmaceuticals or therapeutic devices are purchased, Voyce technology has an impact. The veterinarian can utilize Voyce apps, which are adored by clients, to promote their own pharmacy and treatment device sales. Since the clients tend to love using the Voyce App to monitor their sick animal, a personalized recommendation of treatment can be directive to use the veterinarian rather than the likes of Walmart for competitive services.

Inflation and recession: The current inflation rate and other macroeconomic factors are driving up costs.

The only thing we can promise with Voyce is that an enhanced diagnostics workflow can be implemented at dramatically lower cost than is currently possible.

Summary

In summary, Voyce does support the use of futuristic technologies because an animal’s health still needs monitoring before and after interventions. When it comes to using expensive new treatment tech, it makes absolute sense to use the best health monitoring systems in conjunction. Voyce is the only offering that provides this kind of superior and futuristic set of capabilities. AI will play a major role in veterinary medicine in the future. However, all AI systems require real world accurate and context rich data. The sensor packaged Voyce device offers an amazing resource in this regard. It is collecting the type of context rich and deep body diagnostic data that nothing else on the market can match in a mobile form factor. Millions of hours of an unprecedented set of health data is what AI systems desperately need and Voyce supplies.

But we cannot ignore current everyday problems facing veterinary medicine if we’re ever going to bring exciting new technology to standard practice. As we have discussed, Voyce does indeed help with the major problems facing veterinarians today.

This is why we are incredibly excited about Voyce and other new innovations from One Health Group.

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January 9th, 2024 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

One Health

Introduction

One Health is a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach that recognizes the interconnection between the health of people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. The aim of One Health is to achieve optimal health outcomes by addressing health issues at the human-animal-environment interface, such as disease prevention, surveillance, and management.

One Health is not a new concept, but it has become more important in recent years due to the emergence and re-emergence of zoonotic diseases, which are diseases that can spread between animals and people. Examples of zoonotic diseases include rabies, salmonella, West Nile virus, Q fever, anthrax, brucellosis, Lyme disease, ringworm, and Ebola. Every year, millions of people and animals around the world are affected by zoonotic diseases.

One Health also encompasses other health issues that are shared by people, animals, and the environment, such as antimicrobial resistance, food safety and security, environmental contamination, and climate change. For example, antimicrobial-resistant germs can quickly spread through communities, the food supply, health care facilities, and the environment, making it harder to treat certain infections in animals and people. Vector-borne diseases are on the rise with warmer temperatures and expanded mosquito and tick habitats. Diseases in food animals can threaten supplies, livelihoods, and economies.

An area that One Health can have a major impact on is Vector-Borne diseases. These are human illnesses caused by parasites, viruses, and bacteria that are transmitted by vectors, such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, sandflies, and snails. Vector diseases pose a significant threat to global health, as they affect more than one billion people and cause more than 700,000 deaths every year. Some of the major vector diseases include malaria, dengue, schistosomiasis, human African trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, and onchocerciasis.

Addressing One Health Issues

To address these complex and interrelated health challenges, One Health requires a coordinated and collaborative effort among multiple disciplines and sectors, such as health, agriculture, environment, wildlife, and social sciences. One Health also involves engaging with various stakeholders, such as policy makers, practitioners, researchers, educators, and communities. By working together, One Health can enhance the understanding of the drivers, dynamics, and impacts of health issues, and develop more effective and sustainable solutions.

One of the ways to implement One Health is through research that generates evidence and knowledge to inform decision making and action. Research Directions: One Health is a journal that focuses on interdisciplinary outputs that employ a One Health approach at the interface between humans, animals, and their environment. The journal publishes questions, results, and impact papers that cover a range of topics, such as disease prevention, surveillance, and management, food security and sustainability, nature-based interventions, wildlife conservation, and self-care. The journal also provides a platform for researchers and professionals across society to share their perspectives, experiences, and challenges in applying One Health.

Addressing vector-borne diseases

To address vector-borne diseases, a One Health approach is needed, which recognizes the interconnection between the health of people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. Some of the actions that can be done to prevent and control vector-borne diseases are:

Enhancing surveillance and early detection of vector diseases by integrating data and information from human, animal, and environmental health sectors, and using innovative technologies, such as remote sensing, geographic information systems, and mobile devices.
Improving diagnosis and treatment of vector diseases by developing and evaluating point-of-care diagnostic devices that can be used in both human and animal health settings, and by promoting the rational use of antimicrobials to prevent and combat resistance.
Reducing exposure and transmission of vector diseases by implementing integrated vector management strategies that combine environmental, biological, chemical, and behavioral interventions, and by engaging with communities and stakeholders to raise awareness and promote behavioral change.
Strengthening capacity and collaboration among different sectors, disciplines, and stakeholders, such as health, agriculture, environment, wildlife, and social sciences, to foster a One Health culture and practice, and to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, skills, and resources.
Developing new drugs, vaccines, and technologies to protect people and animals from vector diseases, such as nootkatone, a natural oil that can kill biting pests, and vaccines for dengue, Zika, and tick-borne encephalitis.

Current Research Directions

Some of the current research directions that are underway in One Health include:

1. The development and evaluation of point-of-care diagnostic devices for zoonotic diseases, such as rabies, brucellosis, and leptospirosis, that can be used in both human and animal health settings.
2. The assessment and improvement of the quality, safety, and performance of medical devices used in low-resource settings, such as rural clinics, mobile health units, and humanitarian emergencies.
3. The design and implementation of innovative medical devices that can address the health impacts of environmental factors, such as air pollution, water contamination, and climate anomalies.
4. Quality criteria of nature-based interventions in healthcare institutions.
5. A reimagined One Health framework for wildlife conservation.
6. How to tackle food security and sustainability using a One Health perspective.

These are some examples of how One Health research can advance the knowledge and practice of One Health, and ultimately improve the health and well-being of people, animals, and the environment. One Health is a promising and holistic approach that can address the complex and interconnected health challenges of the 21st century.

For vector-borne diseases, One Health research areas include:

Developing new drugs, vaccines, and technologies to protect people and animals from vector diseases, such as nootkatone, a natural oil that can kill biting pests, and vaccines for dengue, Zika, and tick-borne encephalitis.
Enhancing surveillance and early detection of vector diseases by integrating data and information from human, animal, and environmental health sectors, and using innovative technologies, such as remote sensing, geographic information systems, and mobile devices.
Improving diagnosis and treatment of vector diseases by developing and evaluating point-of-care diagnostic devices that can be used in both human and animal health settings, and by promoting the rational use of antimicrobials to prevent and combat resistance.
Reducing exposure and transmission of vector diseases by implementing integrated vector management strategies that combine environmental, biological, chemical, and behavioral interventions, and by engaging with communities and stakeholders to raise awareness and promote behavioral change.
Strengthening capacity and collaboration among different sectors, disciplines, and stakeholders, such as health, agriculture, environment, wildlife, and social sciences, to foster a One Health culture and practice, and to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, skills, and resources.

The challenges facing One Health

One Health faces several challenges in its implementation and practice. Some of the major challenges are:

Lack of coordination and cooperation among different sectors, disciplines, and stakeholders, such as health, agriculture, environment, wildlife, and social sciences. This can lead to divergent interests, conflicting priorities, silos, and lack of trust, which hamper the success of One Health programs.
Insufficient resources and capacity to support One Health activities, such as data collection, analysis, communication, and action. This can limit the ability to detect, respond, and prevent health threats in a timely and effective manner.
Lack of awareness and recognition of the value and benefits of One Health among policy makers, practitioners, researchers, educators, and communities. This can result in low political commitment, funding, and support for One Health initiatives.
Complex and dynamic nature of the health issues that One Health addresses, such as emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, food safety and security, environmental contamination, and climate anomalies. These issues require a systems thinking approach that can account for the multiple and interrelated factors and feedback loops that influence health outcomes.

These are some of the challenges that the One Health movement needs to overcome to achieve its vision of improving the health and well-being of people, animals, and the environment.

The mission of One Health Group

One Health Group (OHG) is a medical technology innovator with a mission to bring breakthrough health diagnostics, therapeutics, monitoring, screening, and advanced analytics to market.

Driven by seeking solutions to preventing needless animal and human illnesses, often attributable by a lack of health data, OHG has developed a patented mobile health assessment technology that uses intelligent sensors and artificial intelligence to provide personalized, context-based real-time health information. OHG’s goal is to provide a unique health platform that integrates animal, human, and environmental data, which are intrinsically linked.

OHG is currently in its early stages and is completely focused on improving animal health right now. However, the company is named for the One Health paradigm described in this post because its broader vision is to contribute – in a highly collaborative way – to bringing about an early diagnostic and preventative approach to the problems described. OHG is a MedTech company and will work with multiple disciples in its quest to contribute to a One Health solution.

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December 13th, 2023 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

Voyce Cardiovascular Suite

Introduction

In a previous blog post we outlined the extensive cardiopulmonary features of Voyce. In this post we do a deeper dive into the suite of capabilities Voyce offers to screen, diagnose, and manage cardiovascular diseases. These are among the most common and serious health problems affecting dogs, cats, and various other species. According to the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, about 10% of all dogs and 15% of all cats have some form of heart disease. Early detection and accurate diagnosis are crucial for providing effective treatment and improving the quality and length of life for these patients.

However, traditional methods of cardiac assessment, such as electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiography, and blood pressure measurement, have some limitations. They require direct contact with the patient, which can be stressful and uncomfortable for both the animal and the owner. They also depend on the skill and experience of the operator, and may not capture the full spectrum of cardiac function and hemodynamics.

Innovative new set of capabilities

Fortunately, there is a new technology that can overcome these challenges and provide deeper insights into the cardiovascular health of veterinary patients. It is called Voyce, and it is a medical remote interpretation system that uses ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to monitor the heart and lungs of animals in a non-invasive, contactless, and context sensitive way. UWB is a wireless technology that uses very short pulses of radio waves to transmit data over a wide frequency range. UWB has several advantages for medical applications, such as low power consumption, high data rate, high resolution, and good penetration through animal tissues.

Voyce software consists of apps that connect to a cloud-based analytics system, with AI diagnostics support. The apps work with a wearable device that is attached to the patient’s harness or collar, or via a handheld device that can be held over the patient’s heart as well as embedded into other devices or infrastructure. The device uses medical UWB radar to obtain detailed heart metrics, with Static and Dynamic Data that feeds the Voyce AI analytics platform.

A comprehensive set of cardiac parameters are captured by Voyce – either in a clinical setting, in situ (commercial/research) or from a multi-day mobile application. The device collects various parameters related to cardiac function and hemodynamics. Most of the methods (prior to Voyce) used to collect this information in animals required them to be under sedation or anesthesia. Some of current and roadmapped capabilities of the Voyce platform are as follows:

Heart rate: The heart rate of an animal is an important indicator of their health and well-being. The heart rate is the number of times the heart beats per minute, and it reflects the overall cardiovascular function. Monitoring the heart rate can help detect and diagnose various heart problems, as well as other systemic conditions that affect the heart. Let’s take dogs as an example. A normal dog heart rate depends on the size and age of the dog. Generally, smaller, and younger dogs have higher heart rates than larger and older dogs. The average range of a normal dog heart rate is between 60 and 140 beats per minute, but it can vary depending on the breed and individual variation. A dog’s heart rate can also change with activity, stress, pain, fever, or disease. An abnormal dog heart rate can be either too fast (tachycardia) or too slow (bradycardia). Tachycardia can indicate conditions such as anemia, infection, dehydration, shock, or heart disease. Bradycardia can indicate conditions such as hypothermia, hypothyroidism, or heart block.
Respiratory rate: This is the number of breaths a patient takes per minute. It is an important indicator of the patient’s respiratory function and oxygenation status. Respiratory rate can be affected by various factors, such as stress, pain, fever, exercise, or disease. Normal respiratory rates vary depending on the species, breed, age, and size of the patient. For example, the normal respiratory rate for dogs is 10 to 30 breaths per minute, while for cats it is 20 to 40 breaths per minute. Respiratory rate can be measured by counting the number of chest movements or nostril flares in one minute, or by using a stethoscope to listen to the breath sounds. Abnormal respiratory rate can be an indication of cardiac problems. Voyce automates this process.
Lung fluid quantification: This is the measurement of the amount of fluid present in the lungs or the pleural space (the cavity between the lungs and the chest wall). Fluid accumulation in these areas can impair gas exchange and cause respiratory distress. Before Voyce, lung fluid quantification could have been done by various methods, such as radiography (X-rays), ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). These methods can provide information about the location, volume, and nature of the fluid, as well as the underlying cause of the fluid accumulation. Lung fluid quantification can help guide the diagnosis and treatment of various pulmonary diseases, such as pneumonia, pulmonary edema, pleural effusion, or pulmonary hemorrhage. Fluid in the lungs is often highly correlated with heart disease. Voyce automates the process and causes no distress for the animal.
Stroke volume: This is the amount of blood pumped by each ventricle with each heartbeat. Stroke volume depends on three factors: preload, afterload, and contractility.
Preload: This is the degree of stretch of the ventricular muscle fibers at the end of diastole (relaxation phase). Preload is determined by the volume and pressure of blood in the ventricles before contraction. A higher preload increases the stroke volume by the Frank-Starling law, which states that the more the heart muscle is stretched, the more forcefully it contracts.
Afterload: This is the resistance or pressure that the ventricles must overcome to eject blood into the arteries. Afterload is determined by the diameter and elasticity of the arteries, as well as the blood viscosity and flow. A higher afterload decreases the stroke volume by increasing the workload and oxygen demand of the heart.
Heart wall thickness: The measurement of the thickness of the myocardium (the muscle layer of the heart) in different regions of the heart chambers. Heart wall thickness can be affected by various factors, such as genetics, blood pressure, exercise, or disease. Normal heart wall thickness varies depending on the species, breed, age, and size of the patient. For example, the normal heart wall thickness for dogs is 5 to 10 mm for the left ventricle and 3 to 6 mm for the right ventricle, while for cats it is 4 to 6 mm for both ventricles. Without Voyce, heart wall thickness can be measured by echocardiography (cardiac ultrasound), which can provide images and measurements of the heart structure and function. Heart wall thickness can help diagnose and monitor various cardiac diseases, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), or valvular disease.
Cardiac output: This is the amount of blood pumped by each ventricle per minute. It is calculated by multiplying the heart rate and the stroke volume. The range of cardiac output for dogs is 100-200 mL/kg/min. Cardiac output reflects the overall performance and efficiency of the heart.
Systemic Blood pressure: This is the force exerted by the blood on the walls of the arteries. It is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and expressed as two numbers: systolic and diastolic. Systolic blood pressure is the highest pressure during ventricular contraction, and diastolic blood pressure is the lowest pressure during ventricular relaxation. The normal range for a dog’s blood pressure (depending on breed) is a systolic reading between 110 and 160 mmHg and a diastolic reading between 60 and 90 mmHg. A higher or lower blood pressure can indicate various cardiac conditions, such as hypertension, hypotension, or shock.
Pulmonary Blood Pressure: This is the pressure of the blood in the pulmonary arteries, which are the vessels that carry blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs. Pulmonary pressure is normally lower than systemic pressure, which is the pressure of the blood in the aorta and other arteries that supply blood to the rest of the body. The normal range of pulmonary pressure in dogs and cats is between 15 and 30 mmHg. Pulmonary hypertension is a condition where the pulmonary pressure is abnormally high, usually above 40 mmHg with some breed specific variations. Pulmonary hypertension can cause various symptoms and complications, such as difficulty breathing, coughing, fainting, heart failure, and death.
Ejection fraction: This is the percentage of blood that is ejected from each ventricle with each heartbeat. It is calculated by dividing the stroke volume by the end-diastolic volume (the volume of blood in the ventricle at the end of diastole). The normal range of cardiac ejection fraction for dogs is between 50% and 70%. This means that the left ventricle ejects 50% to 70% of its blood volume with each heartbeat. A lower EF can indicate reduced cardiac function, such as in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a common heart disease in dogs that causes ventricular dilation and systolic dysfunction. A higher EF can indicate increased cardiac function, such as in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a rare heart disease in dogs that causes ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction. A lower ejection fraction can indicate reduced cardiac function, such as in heart failure or cardiomyopathy.
Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) optimization: This is a procedure that adjusts the timing and intensity of electrical impulses delivered by a pacemaker or an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to improve the coordination and efficiency of ventricular contraction. CRT optimization can improve cardiac output, ejection fraction, blood pressure, and symptoms in patients with heart failure and desynchrony (a condition where different parts of the ventricle contract at different times). Voyce measures many of the parameters that indicate CRT has been optimized.

The Voyce product roadmap shows a very exciting future for veterinary cardiovascular care. Some of these parameters can be displayed in real-time, including some graphical representations. Other diagnostics require more extensive cloud-based processing and can be accessed via the Voyce apps shortly afterwards, along with Voyce AI driven diagnostic support.

Advantages for general veterinary practice

Voyce offers several benefits for veterinary cardiologists and their patients. It enables a range of applications, from in-clinic continuous monitoring to long-term remote monitoring, of cardiovascular function and hemodynamics. This can reveal subtle changes or trends that may not be detected by intermittent (spot) or short-term measurements. It also reduces the need for sedation or anesthesia, which can pose risks for patients with heart disease. It also improves the accuracy and reliability of cardiac assessment, as it eliminates the effects of behavior, operator variability, or intervening anatomical structures. It also has context-based monitoring that enhances the quality of care, clinical outcomes, and owner/caretaker satisfaction.

Voyce is not only useful for veterinary cardiovascular specialists, but also for general practice veterinarians and veterinary technicians who want to provide better care for their patients with suspected or confirmed heart disease. Voyce can help them to with:

Screening for heart disease: Screening for heart disease in asymptomatic or at-risk patients, such as those with breed predisposition, obesity, age, or other comorbidities. Voyce can detect early signs of cardiac dysfunction, such as reduced stroke volume, cardiac output, or blood pressure, or increased heart rate or respiratory rate. Identifying arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, which can indicate underlying cardiac pathology. By using Voyce, general practice veterinarians and can identify patients who need further evaluation or referral to a specialist.
Monitoring for disease progression: Monitoring for disease progression in patients with diagnosed heart disease, such as dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, valvular disease, or congenital defects. Tracking the changes in cardiac function and hemodynamics over time and alert the veterinarian if there is any deterioration or complication. Assessing the response to treatment, such as medication, diet, or surgery, can allow an adjustment in the dosage or frequency. By using Voyce, general practice veterinarians can optimize the management and prognosis of their patients with heart disease.
Providing emergency care: Providing emergency care for patients with acute cardiac events, such as congestive heart failure, pulmonary edema, cardiac tamponade, or cardiac arrest. Quickly measuring the vital signs and hemodynamic parameters of the patient, and providing guidance on the appropriate intervention, such as oxygen therapy, diuretics, vasodilators, inotropes, antiarrhythmics, or CPR. Connecting the veterinarian with a cardiologist or an interpreter if needed. By using Voyce and its AI-driven diagnostic support, the general practice veterinarian and can save lives and improve clinical outcomes of their patients with cardiac emergencies.

Conclusion

Voyce is a revolutionary innovation that can transform the field of veterinary cardiology. It can provide deep cardiovascular diagnostics for patients in a non-invasive, contactless, harmless, and enhanced way. It can also improve the quality of care and improve clinical outcomes.

In general practice, Voyce can help manage cardiovascular problems earlier through screening for heart disease, by monitoring disease progression, and by supporting emergency care. Voyce is easy to use and does not require any special training or expensive equipment. It is cost-effective and timesaving, as it reduces the need for repeated visits. Voyce is a valuable addition to any veterinary practice that wants to provide the best possible care for their patients with diagnosed heart disease, or are at-risk, ensuring these animals get specialist care earlier.

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November 29th, 2023 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

Innovative Behavioral Analytics for Enhanced Veterinary Care

Introduction

Behavioral analytics is the study of how animals behave and interact with their environment, using data collected from various types of sensors. Behavioral analytics can provide valuable insights into the health, well-being, and personality of animals, as well as their social and emotional needs.

One Health Group (OHG) is a medical technology innovator that has developed Voyce, a health diagnostics platform for animals that measures a wide range of biomarkers, behavioral metrics, and contextual data. Voyce provides remote health monitoring and advanced analytics, allowing veterinarians to access real-time data and insights on their patients’ health and well-being. This is all underpinned by Voyce Artificial Intelligence (AI) in a versatile cloud infrastructure.

Behavioral Analytics on the Voyce Platform

Voyce uses innovative behavioral analytics to enhance veterinary care in several ways:

Quantifying and tracking of stress: The stress levels of the animal over time can be quantified and tracked. This provides an important contextual metric and is in of itself an important health condition to manage. Stress is a major comorbidity in animals and the advanced behavioral analyses from Voyce can ensure treatment efficacy.
Monitoring sleep quality: Voyce also uses its range of biomarkers to monitor the sleep quality of an animal. This is analyzed per the species and breed, along with a health baseline for the animal. Sleep quality is also an important metric for other health conditions, and poor sleep quality is a primary health condition itself. Good sleep quality is important for the healing process and overall well-bring.
Quantifying and tracking pain: Since animals are unable to quantify pain as humans are asked to do, and since many animals tend to hide the pain they are experiencing, Voyce provides an important insight to pain. The pain that animals experience is quantified using behavioral analysis combined with a wide range of biomarkers collected over time. Voyce AI can quantify pain levels for multiple species and breeds of animals and monitor this over time to ensure treatments are efficacious.
Early detection of illness: Voyce can help detect subtle changes in behavior that may indicate the onset of illness, such as reduced activity, increased resting, abnormal breathing patterns, or changes in gait. By monitoring these behavioral indicators, veterinarians can diagnose and treat conditions earlier before they become more serious.
Monitoring of chronic conditions: Voyce can help monitor the progress and management of chronic conditions, such as arthritis, diabetes, or heart disease. By tracking the effects of medication, diet, or exercise on behavior, veterinarians can adjust treatment plans accordingly and optimize outcomes.
Tracking recovery from surgery or injury: Voyce can help track the recovery process of animals who have undergone surgery or injury, such as orthopedic procedures or wound healing. By measuring the improvement in mobility, activity, and comfort levels, veterinarians can evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and provide appropriate follow-up care.
Optimizing wellness and performance: Voyce can help optimize the wellness and performance of pets who are healthy or active, such as cattle, working dogs or athletes. By analyzing the patterns and trends in behavior, veterinarians can provide personalized recommendations for nutrition, exercise, and enrichment to enhance physical and mental well-being.

OHG has developed multiple behavioral algorithms that have been validated from over a million hours of clinical studies. These algorithms use multiple sensors from the Voyce platform. Some of the metrics collected are:

Activity level: This metric quantifies how active or inactive an animal is, based on the frequency, duration, and intensity of its movements. It can be calculated as the average speed, distance traveled, or number of steps taken by the animal over a given time. Activity level can reflect the energy expenditure, motivation, or mood of the animal.
Behavioral diversity: This metric quantifies how diverse or stereotyped an animal’s behavior is, based on the variety, frequency, and sequence of its movements and postures. It can be calculated as the entropy, complexity, or richness of the movement and posture data over a given time. Behavioral diversity can reflect the cognitive abilities, learning, or exploration of the animal.
Behavioral transitions: This metric quantifies how often or smoothly an animal changes its behavior, based on the number, duration, and rate of transitions between different movements and postures. It can be calculated as the frequency, duration, or acceleration of the movement and posture changes over a given time. Behavioral transitions can reflect the flexibility, adaptability, or responsiveness of the animal.
Behavioral states: This metric quantifies how likely an animal is to be in a certain behavioral state. It can be calculated as the probability, duration, or frequency of occurrence of predefined movement and posture categories (such as sleeping, resting, feeding, grooming, etc.) over a given time. Behavioral states can reflect the needs, preferences, or goals of the animal.

The Power of Gait Analysis in Veterinary Care

OHG has developed an algorithm to measure and analyze the gait of various species and breed of animals. We will delve a little deeper into gait analysis since this is a signature capability of Voyce and is measured using a combination of the innovative sensors within the Voyce platform.

Gait is a term that describes the manner or style of walking or moving on foot. It can also refer to the sequence of foot movements by which animals such as a cow, horse or dog moves forward (e.g., a walk, trot, pace, or canter). Gait can be influenced by various factors, such as age, personality, mood, and general health.

The gait of an animal can be used to assess medical issues by observing and measuring how the animal moves and interacts with its environment. Gait analysis is the systematic study of animal locomotion, using various instruments and methods to collect and analyze data on body movements, body mechanics, and muscle activity.

The gait of an animal is extremely personalized and is highly sensitive to changing health. From a known baseline, changes in gait are so sensitive as to provide one of the earliest possible indicators of a change in health of the animal.

Gait analysis can provide valuable information for veterinary care for, among others, the following aspects of animal health:

Musculoskeletal disorders: Gait analysis can help detect and diagnose conditions that affect the bones, joints, muscles, tendons, or ligaments of the animal, such as arthritis, fractures, sprains, or dysplasia. Gait analysis can also help evaluate the effects of treatments, such as surgery, medication, or physiotherapy, on the recovery and function of the affected limbs.
Neurological disorders: Gait analysis can help detect and diagnose conditions that affect the nervous system of the animal, such as spinal cord injury, intervertebral disc disease, or degenerative myelopathy. Gait analysis can also help monitor the progression and prognosis of these conditions, as well as the response to interventions, such as surgery, medication, or rehabilitation.
Metabolic disorders: Gait analysis can help detect and diagnose conditions that affect the metabolism of the animal, such as diabetes, obesity, or thyroid dysfunction. Gait analysis can also help measure the energy expenditure and caloric intake of the animal, as well as the effects of dietary or lifestyle changes on the weight and fitness of the animal.
Behavioral disorders: Gait analysis can help detect and diagnose conditions that affect the behavior and well-being of the animal, such as anxiety, depression, or aggression. Gait analysis can also help assess the personality and temperament of the animal, as well as its social and emotional needs. Examples include separation anxiety and seasonal affective disorder.

Conclusion

Monitoring the behavioral dynamics of an animal can help in veterinary care by providing objective and reliable data on the animal’s health, well-being, and personality. By using multiple sensors within the Voyce platform, veterinarians and animal owners/caretakers can be provided with analyses to help manage various aspects of the animal’s behavior. Voyce AI also plays a major role in analyzing the vast amounts of data collected, and provides recommendations.

These comprehensive range of behavioral metrics, including highly advanced gait analysis, enable Voyce to detect early signs of illness, monitor chronic conditions, track recovery from surgery or injury, and optimize wellness and performance. By using innovative behavioral analytics from Voyce, veterinarians can better understand animals’ needs and provide them with enhanced veterinary care.

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November 15th, 2023 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

Why Digital Natives Appreciate Voyce

Introduction

Generation Z, also known as the Digital Natives, is the demographic cohort born between the mid-1990s and the early 2010s. Notwithstanding the very young Generation Alpha, they are the most diverse, educated, and connected generation in history, and they have a strong influence on consumer trends and preferences. Generation Z is also a generation of pet lovers, as they are more likely to own pets than any other generation, and they spend more on their pets than any other like-aged generation ever has before. According to a survey by TD Ameritrade, 77% of Gen Zers own a pet, and they spend an average of $269 per month on their pets. Of course, Voyce is attractive to many people who are not of Generation Z, but in this post, we explore why this generation appreciates Voyce so much.

The alignment of Voyce with what Digital Natives seek

As pet owners, Gen Zers have some unique characteristics and expectations that set them apart from many in other generations. They are more likely to:

Seek personalized and customized products and services for their pets.
Use technology and social media to monitor, track, and share their pets’ health and well-being.
Value convenience, quality, and transparency when choosing pet products and services.
Be environmentally conscious and socially responsible when purchasing pet products and services.

These characteristics and expectations make Gen Zers an ideal target market for Voyce, the premier wearable device for companion animals. It can measure vital signs and health indicators using ultra-wideband radar technology and other high-tech sensors. Voyce is a product from One Health Group, a medical technology innovator with a mission to bring breakthrough digital health diagnostics, monitoring, screening, and advanced analytics to market.

Voyce value propositions appealing to Gen Zers

Voyce has several value propositions that can appeal to Gen Z pet owners, such as:

Personalization: Voyce provides personalized, context-based, and evidence-driven health information for each pet in the household, based on their breed, age, weight, activity level, and other factors. Voyce also allows pet owners to set goals and reminders, customize alerts and notifications, and get personalized tips and recommendations for their pets’ health and wellness via Voyce Artificial Intelligence (AI). The Pet will be under a monitoring regime set by the veterinarian. This is tailored to the monitoring needs of the Pet, providing the ultimate in personalized care.
Technology: Voyce uses cutting-edge sensors and AI to measure and analyze the pet’s vital signs, such as heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, and respiratory rate. It also has advanced behavioral analytic capabilities based on things like activity level, calories burned, sleep quality, stress level, gait changes, and more. Voyce also provides apps that allow pet owners to ensure the monitoring regime is operating successfully. The veterinary practice also has apps that present the pet’s health status via the Voyce Cloud and has access to Voyce AI to help with diagnostics.
Convenience: For remote monitoring, Voyce can be a collar or harness device that fits comfortably around the pet’s neck or body and connects wirelessly to the pet owner’s smartphone or tablet. The health of the pet is monitored via a monitoring regime set by the veterinarian. This focuses the monitoring to maximize efficacy and to optimize the use of the device’s resources. Health status, according to the monitoring regime, is sent to the Voyce Cloud, and on to the veterinary practice. Voyce does not require any calibration from the pet owner or the veterinarian since it is self-calibrating. Voyce also has a long battery life and a water and dust resistant design.

Quality: Voyce is a reliable and accurate device that can measure the pet’s vital signs and deep cardiopulmonary health indicators remotely and non-invasively using ultra-wideband radar technology. Voyce does not cause any discomfort or harm to the pet or interfere with their normal behavior. Voyce also has a high-quality design and materials that ensure durability and safety. Voyce is position as a professional device that has undergone rigorous clinical validation.
Transparency: Voyce provides clear and easy-to-understand health data for the pet owner and the veterinarian. Voyce also provides evidence-based insights and suggestions that are backed by scientific research, clinical trials, and Voyce AI. Voyce also respects the privacy and security of the pet owner’s data and does not share it with any third parties without their consent. The monitoring regimes prescribed are openly described and easy to understand.

The Digital Native market for pet health monitoring

The Pew Research Center places Gen Zers as the generation born between 1997 and 2012 – currently between the ages of 11-26 years old. They have unique shopping habits and a massive impact on the marketplace. They are also redefining the relationship between humans and their pets. According to a study by Segmanta, Gen Zers not only see their pets as an integral part of their family, but also more than ever rely more on their pets for emotional support. They are also extremely tech-savvy and appreciate high quality and leading-edge technology.

The market for health monitoring of pets using Voyce from OHG has great potential among Gen Zers. Gen Zers are more likely than other generations to provide their pets with excellent care. Gen Zers are willing to spend more on their pets and pamper them with products that enhance their well-being. Voyce appeals to this segment of pet owners as it offers a sophisticated, configurable, patented sensor platform for non-invasive and autonomous collection of clinically validated vital signs and other critical biomarkers of pets. Voyce does what no rival can do and is the type of high-tech and yet affordable system that Gen Zers will readily accept when offered by their veterinarian.

Although only about 12.9% of pet owners in the U.S. have pet insurance policies to cover vet expenses, Gen Zers, who represent 33% of pet owners in the U.S., and are more likely to get health insurance for their pets than older generations. They are more aware of the potential costs of vet emergencies, which can run into thousands of dollars. Since they are younger, many will not have the income to cover large vet bills for their beloved pet. Also, given the other characteristics of Gen Zers, they are not only equipped to accept expensive treatments via their insurance, but will delight in using the best in remote digital health that Voyce provides.

Pet insurance companies in the U.S. paid out $2.2 billion in claims in 2022, up from $1.8 billion in 2021. This represents a 22% increase in payouts, which reflects the growing number of insured pets and the rising costs of veterinary care. The average claim amount for dogs was $278 and for cats was $182 in 2022. The most common claims for dogs were skin conditions, ear infections, and arthritis, while the most common claims for cats were urinary tract infections, kidney disease, and diabetes. Voyce has clinically validated monitoring regimes to enable personalized care for all these health conditions.

The market for Voyce with the Digital Natives is very large and is growing. Gen Zers tend to be loyal to brands and Voyce is exactly the type of technology that excites this population. Their tech savvy nature will mean they understand the Voyce system and use its digital health capabilities to the full. Better clinical outcomes for an affordable price will reinforce loyalty to the brand. OHG will gain a massive market share in the emerging market for veterinary prescribed digital health monitoring.

Common Applications of Voyce.

Voyce will have a very high level of adoption for high value procedures. As time goes by, the Gen Zers will transition into higher earners. Also, per the above analysis, they are also the most likely demographic cohort to buy health insurance for their Pets. Common high value procedures performed on pets in the U.S. are supported by Voyce. According to Healthy Paws Pet Insurance the top high value procedure performed in 2022 are as follows:

Skin conditions: These include allergies, infections, and tumors that affect the skin of dogs and cats. They can cause itching, inflammation, hair loss, and discomfort. The average claim amount for skin conditions was $1,029 for dogs and $1,018 for cats. Voyce has leading behavioral algorithms that have been validated with over a million hours of clinical studies. These indicators along with bio-markers fuel specific monitoring regimes to detect any signs of skin conditions at a very early stage. They also monitor pets that have a treatment to optimize their recovery arc.
Ear infections: These are common problems that affect the ears of dogs and cats, especially those with floppy ears or allergies. They can cause pain, inflammation, discharge, and odor. The average claim amount for ear infections was $324 for dogs and $289 for cats. Voyce uses its behavioral algorithms and vital sign metrics to supports pets with ear infections.
Arthritis: This is a degenerative joint disease that affects the mobility and quality of life of dogs and cats, especially older ones. It can cause pain, stiffness, swelling, and lameness. The average claim amount for arthritis was $1,021 for dogs and $1,016 for cats. Voyce has a monitoring regime that provides early detection of pain, which can save the pet from prolonged pain. Dogs tend to hide their pain for as long as possible. The other monitoring regime that Voyce has extensively validated is a to ensure Pain Management treatment is effective and remains so via its advanced bio marker, behavioral and contextual monitoring.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs): These are bacterial infections that affect the urinary system of dogs and cats, especially females. They can cause pain, blood in urine, frequent urination, and incontinence. The average claim amount for UTIs was $657 for dogs and $545 for cats. Voyce provides a monitoring regime for a UTI.
Cruciate ligament injury: This is a common condition that affects the knee joint of dogs and cats, causing pain, lameness, and arthritis. The treatment options include surgery, such as tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) or tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA), or conservative management, such as weight loss, anti-inflammatory drugs, and physical therapy. The average cost of surgery ranges from $2,000 to $5,000 per knee, while the average cost of conservative management is about $500 per year. According to Healthy Paws Pet Insurance, these injuries were the fifth most common condition in dogs in 2022, accounting for 6.7% of the top ten claims. Voyce provides highly personalized care for Pets pre- and post-surgery, and for longer term conservative treatment programs.
Cancer surgeries: Cancer is a leading cause of death in dogs and cats, affecting about 12 million pets annually. The treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, or palliative care, depending on the type and stage of cancer. The average cost of cancer surgery ranges from $1,000 to $6,000 depending on the location and size of the tumor, while the average cost of chemotherapy is about $200 per session. According to Healthy Paws Pet Insurance, growths and tumors were the sixth most common condition in dogs in 2022, accounting for 6.4% of the top ten claims. Voyce has specific cancer monitoring regimes to ensure an optimized chance of survival.
Dental procedures: Dental problems are very common in dogs and cats, affecting about 80% of pets over the age of three. The treatment options include dental cleaning, tooth extraction, root canal, or crown placement, depending on the severity of the dental disease. The average cost of dental cleaning ranges from $300 to $800 depending on the location and anesthesia fees, while the average cost of tooth extraction is about $150 to $300 per tooth. According to Healthy Paws Pet Insurance, dental issues were the second most common condition in cats in 2022, accounting for 9.8% of the top ten claims. A Voyce monitoring regime enables excellent dental problem prevention capabilities, as well as recovery support for the Pet when procedures are required.

Conclusion

Voyce has all the attributes that are attractive to the Digital Natives. This cohort are also the most likely in the U.S. to get health insurance for their pets, and thus be able to let their pets have the high value procedures identified. With higher value procedures it becomes a no brainer for the pet owner to add on a Voyce monitoring solution offered by their veterinarian – the cost is a tiny fraction of the cost the procedure. Yet, Gen Zers will know through their diligent internet research, that clinical outcomes for their pet are significantly improved when Voyce is used.

The total value of all claims in 2022 according to Healthy Paws Pet Insurance in the U.S. was $442 million. This was based on more than a million claims made by Healthy Paws pet parents for accident or illness veterinary care. The most common claims for dogs were skin conditions, ear infections, and arthritis, and for cats, urinary tract infections, kidney disease, and diabetes.

Voyce brings to the market monitoring regimes that provide remote and clinical personalized health monitoring for pets with all the top health conditions. With Pet Insurance in the U.S. alone processing over $2 billion in claims, the market is very attractive given the relatively low cost of Voyce. Digital Natives in Europe have the same behavior profile as those in the U.S. They also tend to buy even more pet health insurance products, but with the U.S. catching up.

The size of the pet insurance industry in the EU and UK is estimated to be around $5.2 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 9.36% from 2023 to 2028. The size of the pet insurance industry in the U.S. and Canada (USC) is estimated to be around USD 3.4 billion in 2022 but growing at a CAGR of an incredible 16.3% from 2021 to 2028. Voyce benefits enormously when pet parents carry health insurance for their pet. With a high growth rate of adoption in the EU, UK and USC, OHG expects rapid growth in the demand for Voyce, and Gen Zers will place a giant role.

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November 2nd, 2023 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

Pig Farming Applications of Voyce

Introduction

Pig farming is a challenging and complex business that requires constant monitoring and management of animal health and welfare, as well as environmental and economic factors. Traditional methods of pig farming rely on manual observation and intervention, which can be time-consuming, labor-intensive, and prone to human error. Moreover, traditional methods may not be able to detect subtle changes in pig behavior and physiology that can indicate potential problems or opportunities for improvement.

Overview of the Voyce Medical Diagnostics Platform

The Voyce health diagnostics platform can be a wearable device or an off-body device that integrates into the environment. It can measure vital signs and other health metrics of pigs non-invasively and autonomously, such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, heart rate variability (HRV), activity level, calories burned, resting patterns, body temperature, and body posture, among others.

Voyce uses an extensively patented sensor platform that integrates ultra-wideband (UWB) radar technology, other innovative health sensors, and artificial intelligence to provide personalized, context-based, and preventative health information. Voyce has intelligent analytics and an AI-driven clinical support system that can result in earlier and less invasive intervention, and improved clinical outcomes. Voyce data can be delivered via various form factors, integrated with electronic health records (EHRs), telehealth platforms, and video conferencing solutions. The Voyce Cloud service enables complex algorithms and powerful AI to be implemented.

The Pig Farming Market

The market size of pig farming in the USA and globally can be estimated by looking at the production, consumption, and trade of pigs and pork products. According to the data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service, here are some statistics on the market size of pig farming in 2020:

Global pig production was about 120.5 million metric tons, with China being the largest producer with 55.4 million metric tons, followed by the European Union with 22.8 million metric tons, and the USA with 12.2 million metric tons.
Global pig consumption was about 118.6 million metric tons, with China being the largest consumer with 57.5 million metric tons, followed by the European Union with 20.4 million metric tons, and the USA with 10.3 million metric tons.
Global pig exports were about 11.1 million metric tons, with the European Union being the largest exporter with 4.1 million metric tons, followed by the USA with 3.3 million metric tons, and Canada with 1.4 million metric tons.
Global pig imports were about 9.2 million metric tons, with China being the largest importer with 4.4 million metric tons, followed by Japan with 1.3 million metric tons, and Mexico with 1.1 million metric tons.

The market size of pig farming in the USA can be further estimated by looking at the domestic data from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service; here are some statistics on the market size of pig farming in 2020:

The number of domestic hogs and pigs in the USA was about 77.5 million head, with Iowa being the largest state with 24.8 million head, followed by North Carolina with 9.3 million head, and Minnesota with 8.8 million head.
The total (imported and domestic) number of hogs and pigs slaughtered in the USA was about 131.1 million head, with an average live weight of 285 pounds and an average carcass weight of 215 pounds.
The total pork production in the USA was about 28 billion pounds, with a value of $23.4 billion.
The per capita consumption of pork in the USA was about 51 pounds.

The Benefits of Voyce technology for Pig Farmers

Voyce technology can offer many benefits for pig farmers, such as:

Enhanced animal welfare: Voyce can help pig farmers monitor the well-being of their pigs in real-time and detect any signs of stress, pain, discomfort, or disease. Voyce can also alert pig farmers to any abnormal or unusual behaviors, such as aggression, tail biting, or isolation, that may indicate poor welfare or social issues. By using Voyce, pig farmers can provide timely and appropriate care for their pigs and improve their quality of life.
Improved productivity and efficiency: Voyce can help pig farmers optimize the performance of their pigs by providing insights into their growth, reproduction, nutrition, and health status. Voyce can also help pig farmers reduce the use of antibiotics, hormones, and other drugs by enabling preventive and precision medicine. By using Voyce, pig farmers can increase the yield and quality of their pork products and reduce the costs of feed, labor, and veterinary services.
Increased profitability and effectiveness: Voyce can also help pig farmers meet the increasing consumer demand for animal welfare, food safety, and environmental sustainability. By using Voyce, pig farmers can differentiate themselves from their competitors and access new markets and opportunities.

Conclusion

One Health Group (OHG) is pleased to be able to bring the Voyce platform to the pig farming market. Clinical studies have already been conducted used pigs, and although more studies are needed due to the introduction of new Voyce capabilities, there is very high confidence level that both wearable and off-body form factors will achieve the benefits described. OHG aims to bring this technology to global markets where hundreds of millions of pigs can be addressed.

Voyce is a revolutionary product that aims to transform the healthcare for pigs using new breakthrough technologies. One of the major costs in the pig farming industry is veterinary costs, and Voyce improves the preventative care of pigs dramatically. However, feeding effectiveness can also be monitored, improved, and optimized through Voyce AI. Finally, labor costs can also be optimized by automating much more of the day-to-day animal health diagnostics and intervention that are routinely performed. Care becomes more personalized.

Voyce specializes in the early detection of health issues, and allows for earlier intervention to keep pigs healthy, and to reduce the problem of infections spreading. By adopting Voyce technology, pig farmers can improve the welfare of their pigs, the efficiency of their operations, and the profitability of their businesses.

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October 17th, 2023 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

Using the Voyce Platform to Enhance Veterinary Anesthesia Care

Introduction

It can be stressful to see your animals undergo a medical procedure that requires anesthesia. You may worry about the risks of anesthesia, the pain that may be experienced, the recovery process, and the risk of loss. At One Health Group, we understand your concerns and we are committed to facilitating the best care possible. That is why we are proud to introduce Voyce, a revolutionary diagnostics platform that can be used to monitor the animal’s vital signs and relevant health status before, during, and after anesthesia. We enhance veterinary anesthesiology through technological innovation.

What is Voyce?

Voyce is a diagnostics platform that can take many form factors. It uses advanced sensors and artificial intelligence to measure and analyze you’re an animal’s heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, temperature, contextual data, and other bio markers as the Voyce product roadmap unfolds. Voyce can also detect signs of stress, pain, and discomfort. Voyce can connect wirelessly or wired (depending on the form factor) to other devices that are used in an operating room. In its wearable form factor (collar or harness), mobile data can be shared with the veterinarian or anesthesiologist both before the animal has the procedure and post the procedure. This can help them make informed decisions about anesthesia care and post operative care, including any effects from the anesthesia. This is discussed in more detail later.

What is involved with anesthesia?

Anesthesia is a complex and delicate process that requires careful monitoring and adjustment of the anesthetic drugs and oxygen levels. Anesthesia can affect the animal’s cardiovascular, respiratory, and nervous systems, as well as their body temperature and metabolism. Any changes in these parameters can indicate potential complications or adverse reactions to anesthesia. Therefore, it is essential to have accurate and continuous information about the patient’s vital signs and health status during anesthesia.

The critical parameters monitored by an anesthesiologist

The anesthesiologist first decides on the exact combination of anesthesia drugs to use for the patient. This is based on multiple current and historical health parameters.

One of the most important roles of an anesthesiologist is to monitor the patient’s vital signs and health status during anesthesia. Anesthesia can affect various aspects of the patient’s physiology, such as oxygenation, ventilation, circulation, and temperature. Therefore, the anesthesiologist needs to use various methods and devices to measure and evaluate these parameters and intervene if necessary to prevent or treat any complications.

Some of the critical parameters that an anesthesiologist must monitor are:

Oxygenation: This refers to the amount of oxygen in the inspired gas and the blood. Oxygen is essential for the survival of the cells and tissues, and hypoxia (low oxygen level) can cause irreversible damage to the brain and other organs. The anesthesiologist monitors the oxygenation by using an oxygen analyzer to measure the concentration of oxygen in the patient breathing system, and a pulse oximeter to measure the oxygen saturation of the hemoglobin in the blood. The pulse oximeter also provides a variable pitch pulse tone and a low threshold alarm that alert the anesthesiologist to any changes in the oxygenation status.
Ventilation: This refers to the movement of air in and out of the lungs. Ventilation is necessary for gas exchange, which involves removing carbon dioxide and delivering oxygen to the blood. Anesthesia can affect the respiratory drive, muscle tone, and airway patency, leading to hypoventilation (low ventilation) or apnea (no ventilation). The anesthesiologist monitors the ventilation by observing the respiratory rate, depth, and character, as well as the chest wall movement and the end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2) level. The EtCO2 level reflects the amount of carbon dioxide in the exhaled gas, which is proportional to the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood. The anesthesiologist can also use a capnograph to display the waveform of EtCO2 over time, which can provide additional information about the ventilation quality and efficiency.
Circulation: This refers to the flow of blood through the heart and blood vessels. Circulation is important for delivering oxygen and nutrients to the cells and tissues and removing waste products and carbon dioxide. Anesthesia can affect the cardiac output, blood pressure, heart rate, and rhythm, which can compromise the circulation and perfusion. The anesthesiologist monitors the circulation by measuring the heart rate and rhythm using an electrocardiogram (ECG), which displays the electrical activity of the heart. The anesthesiologist also measures the blood pressure using a cuff or a catheter inserted into an artery. The blood pressure reflects the force exerted by the blood on the walls of the blood vessels, which depends on the cardiac output and vascular resistance. The anesthesiologist can also assess the circulation by palpating or auscultating the pulse rate and strength and observing the mucous membrane color and capillary refill time. The pulse rate and strength indicate how well the heart is pumping blood, while the mucous membrane color and capillary refill time indicate how well the blood is reaching the peripheral tissues.
Temperature: This refers to the degree of heat of the body. Temperature is regulated by a balance between heat production and heat loss. Anesthesia can affect this balance by altering the metabolic rate, vasomotor tone, sweating, shivering, and behavioral responses. Hypothermia (low body temperature) or hyperthermia (high body temperature) can have adverse effects on various organ systems, such as increasing bleeding, infection, cardiac arrhythmias, or brain injury. The anesthesiologist monitors the temperature by using a thermometer inserted into a body cavity (such as mouth, ear, esophagus, bladder, or rectum) or attached to a body surface (such as skin or forehead). The anesthesiologist can also use warming or cooling devices to maintain or adjust the temperature as needed.

These are some of the critical parameters that an anesthesiologist monitors during anesthesia. However, depending on the type and duration of anesthesia, as well as the patient’s condition and comorbidities, additional parameters may be monitored as well. These may include neuromuscular blockade, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), awareness during anesthesia, neuromonitoring during anesthesia and surgery, pulmonary artery catheterization (PAC), and others. Monitoring is an essential component of anesthesia care that helps ensure patient safety and comfort.

The role of Voyce in anesthesia

The Voyce product roadmap includes anesthesia specific applications. It will provide the necessary diagnostic information in real-time, allowing your veterinarian or anesthesiologist to adjust the anesthetic dose and oxygen flow accordingly. Voyce will also alert them to any signs of distress or discomfort, such as increased heart rate, abnormal blood pressure, decreased respiratory rate, or abnormal temperature. The Voyce platform is not intended to monitor everything needed by the anesthesiologist, but it will either replace existing inferior devices, or add new capabilities that enhance what is possible today.

The planned suite of Voyce anesthesiology applications specifically addresses the primary concerns of the anesthesiologist – as previously outlined – as follows:

Oxygenation: The Voyce platform includes an SpO2 monitoring capability. The Voyce product roadmap also includes the integration of Voyce devices with critical care monitors. This means that while other medical monitoring devices will certainly be used and feed the critical care monitor, the Voyce devices can be used to displace a multitude of other expensive devices currently used. Some of the following sections highlight how Voyce innovation enhances veterinary anesthesiology.
Ventilation: The Voyce platform already measures respiratory rate. The Voyce product roadmap will see the platform also use its Medical UWB capabilities to measure respiratory depth, and character, as well as the chest wall movement. Also once again, the Voyce platform will integrate with critical care monitors that where other devices provide information such as the end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2) level. However, some on the analyses Voyce will be able to perform directly on the patients’ lungs will provide insights that are and do not require skin contact.
Circulation: The Voyce platform can provide new information for the anesthesiologist by directly measuring the flow of blood through the heart and blood vessels. The Voyce platform either already or is planned to directly measure cardiac output, blood pressure, heart rate, and rhythm. New Blood Pressure algorithms will directly challenge the gold standard of blood pressure measurement through an arterial line – reducing the risk of infection. A suite of measurements is planned that will provide a superior means of assessing how well the heart is pumping blood than the methods currently use. The anesthesiologist will certainly continue to do physical assessment such as conducting palpations and observing things like the color of the mucus membrane. But Voyce will add new insights into the health of the patient while under anesthesia.
Temperature: The Voyce platform is already planned to include measurement of Core Body Temperature through innovative new technology. This technology will provide a superior way for the anesthesiologist to monitor temperature than the current standard of using a thermometer inserted into a body cavity. It is critical to keep the body temperature regulated, and Voyce enhances the current standard dramatically.

Conclusion

By using Voyce, your veterinarian or anesthesiologist will, in the future, be able to ensure that the patient receives the optimal level of anesthesia for their procedure, minimizing the risks of anesthesia-related complications. While this is commonplace today, Voyce transforms the processes in many advantageous ways.

Voyce will help with pre-anesthesia assessment and post-anesthesia recovery. By using Voyce before the procedure, you can create a baseline of vital signs and health status without the complication of White Coat Syndrome. This can help your veterinarian or anesthesiologist determine the best anesthetic protocol for your pet based on their age, weight, breed, medical history, physical condition, and so on.

By using Voyce after the procedure, you can monitor recovery progress and detect any early signs of pain, infection, or inflammation. This can help provide the appropriate care at an early stage and prevent any post-anesthesia complications.

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October 4th, 2023 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

Voyce AI to provide veterinary clinicians with superior diagnostics for health screening and monitoring support

What is Medical AI?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that aims to create machines and systems that can perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, and decision making. AI has been applied to various fields and industries, including medicine, where it has shown great potential to improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases and infection control.

One of the areas AI has been making significant advances is veterinary medicine, where it can help address some of the challenges and opportunities faced by veterinary clinicians and other animal stakeholders. One of the innovative products that uses AI to enhance veterinary care is Voyce, developed by One Health Group (OHG).

What makes Voyce Unique as a Predictive Diagnostics and Screening System?

Voyce is an animal health diagnostics and screening technology platform. It uses Ultra-wideband (UWB) radar technology, other innovative sensors, and AI to provide remote, clinical, laboratory, or commercial farming medical diagnostics for animal health and wellbeing. Voyce can measure many different biomarkers, including:

Vital Signs such as heart rate, heat rate variability, respiratory rate, temperature, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation.
Comprehensive Contextual Profiling such as behavioral indicators, activity types and levels, sleep quality, and stress level.
Deep Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics such as cardiac output, heart wall thickness, and lung fluid analysis.

Voyce also has the unique advantage of being able to take multiple form factors to solve many pain points faced in the care of many different species and breeds of animal.

How does Voyce Utilize its Integrated AI Capabilities to Enhance its Efficacy?

Voyce can rapidly detect abnormalities and anomalies in the health data and alert the veterinarian and other relevant stakeholders earlier than any other health monitoring system. This is a critical capability in commercial applications such as Livestock Farming applications.

Voyce can simultaneously capture all the primary vital signs, and deep cardiopulmonary biomarkers. Voyce is planned to become the preeminent solution for comprehensive screening, diagnostics and health monitoring.

But it is how the Voyce Cloud utilizes over a million hours of contextualized and comprehensive animal health data through AI that makes it the true leader in animal health.

To make this possible, the Voyce integrated technology and product roadmap shows the emergence of Voyce AI in several ways to provide superior support for veterinary clinicians:

Machine learning, a type of AI that enables computers to learn from data and improve their performance without explicit programming. Voyce uses machine learning to analyze the health data collected from the device and compare it with personal historical data, species and breed-specific data, and peer data to identify patterns and trends that indicate the health status of the animal.
Deep learning, a subset of machine learning that uses multiple layers of artificial neural networks to learn from complex and high-dimensional data. Voyce uses deep learning to process the raw signals from the UWB radar sensor and extract meaningful features that represent the physiological, anatomical, and behavioral parameters of the animal.
Natural language processing (NLP), a branch of AI that deals with the interaction between computers and human language. Voyce uses NLP to generate reports and recommendations based on the health data and communicates them to the veterinarian and other relevant stakeholders in a clear and understandable way.
Large language model technology, which is a type of artificial intelligence that can process natural language inputs and outputs. Large language models are based on deep neural networks that can learn from huge amounts of text data, mostly collected from the internet. Large language models can perform various tasks, such as recognizing, summarizing, translating, predicting, and generating text or other forms of content. Voyce AI can license such technology and train it specifically on its own cloud data as well as a wide body of peer reviewed clinical veterinary knowledge.

By using AI, Voyce plans to provide several benefits for veterinary clinicians:

Voyce can help veterinarians diagnose diseases and infections earlier and more accurately, by providing continuous and non-invasive monitoring of the animal’s health, and alerting the appropriate stakeholders of any changes or risks.
Voyce can help veterinarians optimize treatment plans and outcomes by providing personalized and evidence-based suggestions based on the animal’s health data and medical history.
Voyce can help veterinarians enhance client satisfaction and retention by providing timely and convenient feedback and education to the pet owner and facilitating communication and collaboration between them.
Voyce can provide radically new solutions to improve earnings in commercial animal farming.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Voyce is a revolutionary product that uses various facets of AI to provide superior health diagnostics support for veterinary clinicians and all other relevant stakeholders. Voyce will improve the quality and efficiency of veterinary care across virtually any species of animal. OHG has already collected over a million of hours of data in canine clinical studies. Much of this data comes from leading veterinary research universities, who have used Voyce on a wide range of animals, including dogs, cats, horses, goats, and rats.

However, the vision is for Voyce devices to become ubiquitous in veterinary care in many different care settings and for the care of many different species of animals. This will feed the Voyce Cloud with billions of contextualized animal health data, accompanying treatment monitoring regimes, and evidence based clinical outcomes. Voyce AI will utilize this gold mine of data to take veterinary medicine efficacy to greater heights through continuous improvement.

One Health is the paradigm that OHG was formed to utilize and advance. It is through the mechanism previously outlined that Voyce AI will become a trusted partner for all veterinary clinicians, commercial farming caretakers, researchers, handlers, and pet parents. This will eventually become an invaluable resource to advance human medicine through comparative medicine analysis. Voyce AI will be central to realizing the vision of OHG.

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September 20th, 2023 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

Voyce Ultra-wideband (UWB) Technology: A Novel Approach for Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics in Veterinary Medicine

Introduction

Cardiopulmonary diagnostics are essential for the detection and management of various cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in veterinary patients. These diseases include heart failure, arrhythmia, coronary artery disease, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, and lung cancer. However, many of the current diagnostic methods have limitations such as invasiveness, cost, complexity, time consumption, complex usage models requiring highly trained clinicals, risk, and discomfort for the animals and their owners.

Therefore, there is a need for a new technology that can overcome these challenges and provide more accurate, reliable, affordable, convenient, and safe cardiopulmonary diagnostics for different animal species. One Health Group (OHG), a medical technology innovator with a mission to bring breakthrough health diagnostics, monitoring, screening, and advanced analytics to market, has developed a novel solution that uses UWB impulse radar technology to measure vital signs and health conditions of humans and animals without any physical contact.

Voyce UWB Diagnostics Technology Platform

UWB impulse radar is a wireless technology that operates at very high frequencies and can capture highly accurate spatial and directional data. It can be used for remote sensing and imaging of human and animal bodies, as well as other applications.

OHG’s flagship product, Voyce, is the premier wearable for the animal health industry. Voyce uses UWB impulse radar technology to measure vital signs, such as heart rate and respiratory rate, of companion animals without any physical contact. Voyce collects a wide range of contextual information through additional embedded sensors and utilizes the Internet-of-things infrastructure. It comes in multiple form factors such as wearables, handheld devices, and near-field fixture devices.

Voyce as a Novel Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics Solution

Voyce technology has many potential benefits for cardiopulmonary diagnostics in veterinary medicine, such as:

It is non-invasive and contactless, eliminating the need for wires, electrodes, needles, or tubes. This improves efficacy enormously by eliminating “White Coat Syndrome”.
It is low-cost and simple, requiring only a small device that can be worn, affixed, or held near the body.
It is fast and convenient, providing real-time measurements and feedback in seconds.
It is safe and comfortable, using non-ionizing electromagnetic waves that are harmless to living tissues.
It is available in Multiple Form Factors such as Handhelds, Clinical Harnesses, Mobile Wearables as a collar or harness, embedded in other devices such as a pet bed, commercial cattle and dairy farming infrastructures, and so on.

For different species and breeds, future incarnations of Voyce devices are planned to be able to measure many cardiopulmonary parameters and indicators, such as:

Heart rate: The number of times the heart beats per minute.
Heart rate variability: The variation in the time interval between consecutive heartbeats.
Respiratory rate: The number of breaths per minute.
Respiratory sinus arrhythmia: The variation in heart rate due to breathing.
Cardiac output: The amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute.
Stroke volume: The amount of blood pumped by the heart per beat.
Ejection fraction: The percentage of blood ejected from the heart during each contraction.
Blood pressure: The force exerted by the blood on the walls of the arteries.
Pulse wave velocity: The speed at which the blood pressure wave travels along the arteries.
Arterial stiffness: The degree of elasticity of the arterial walls.
Lung volume: The amount of air in the lungs at different phases of breathing.
Lung capacity: The maximum amount of air that can be inhaled or exhaled from the lungs.
Lung compliance: The ease with which the lungs can expand or contract.
Lung resistance: The opposition to airflow in the lungs.

Through our continued R&D and clinical studies, the Voyce technology and product roadmap shows the ability to detect various cardiopulmonary abnormalities and diseases for multiple animal species and breeds (E.g., dogs, cats, horses, cows, pigs, etc.), such as:

Arrhythmia: An irregular or abnormal heartbeat rhythm or rate.
Atrial fibrillation: A type of arrhythmia where the upper chambers of the heartbeat irregularly and rapidly.
Ventricular fibrillation: A type of arrhythmia where the lower chambers of the heartbeat irregularly and rapidly.
Bradycardia: A slow heartbeat rate (less than 60 beats per minute).
Tachycardia: A fast heartbeat rate (more than 100 beats per minute).
Heart block: A partial or complete interruption of the electrical signals that control the heartbeat rhythm.
Heart failure: A condition where the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.
Coronary artery disease: A condition where the arteries that supply blood to the heart become narrowed or blocked by plaque buildup.
Myocardial infarction: A condition where a part of the heart muscle dies due to lack of blood supply (also known as a heart attack).
Cardiomyopathy: A condition where the heart muscle becomes enlarged, thickened, or stiffened.
Valvular heart disease: A condition where one or more of the heart valves do not function properly.
Congenital heart disease: A condition where the heart or blood vessels are abnormally formed at birth.
Asthma: A condition where the airways become inflamed, narrow, and produce excess mucus, causing difficulty breathing.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A condition where the airways become inflamed and damaged, causing airflow obstruction and difficulty breathing.
Pulmonary embolism: A condition where a blood clot travels to the lungs and blocks a blood vessel, causing chest pain and difficulty breathing.
Lung Abscess. A condition where a pus-filled cavity forms in the lung tissue.
Pneumonia: A condition where the lungs become infected and inflamed, causing fever, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Lung cancer: A condition where abnormal cells grow and multiply in the lungs, causing various symptoms and complications.

Conclusion

Cardiopulmonary diagnostics are essential for the detection and management of various cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in veterinary patients. However, many of the current diagnostic methods have limitations such as invasiveness, cost, complexity, time consumption, risk, and discomfort for the animals and their owners. Therefore, there is a need for a new technology that can overcome these challenges and provide more accurate, reliable, affordable, convenient, and safe cardiopulmonary diagnostics for different animal species.

OHG has developed a novel solution that uses UWB impulse radar technology to measure vital signs and health conditions of animals without any physical contact. OHG’s flagship product, Voyce, is the premier diagnostics platform for the animal health industry. Voyce uses UWB impulse radar technology to measure vital signs, such as heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate of many species of animals without any physical contact. Voyce also provides other context-rich features, such as activity tracking and behavioral analysis. It also provides remote wellness reports and is an excellent option to support telemedicine applications.

UWB technology has many potential benefits for cardiopulmonary diagnostics in veterinary medicine, such as being non-invasive and contactless, low-cost, and simple, convenient, safe and comfortable. UWB technology can measure various cardiopulmonary parameters and indicators for different animal species, such as heart rate variability, cardiac output, stroke volume, ejection fraction, pulse wave velocity, arterial stiffness, lung volume, lung capacity, lung compliance, lung resistance. UWB technology can also detect various cardiopulmonary abnormalities and diseases for different animal species.

Voyce UWB technology provides innovative solutions that can improve the health and well-being of animals by providing non-invasive and contactless cardiopulmonary diagnostics. It has a cost-benefit profile that makes it suitable for general veterinary practice. It offers the kind of deep cardiopulmonary diagnostics to make convincing arguments to animal owners and handlers for additional diagnostics to be performed. These could include things such as Lab Work, and other more expensive imaging such as X-Ray, CT, MRI, and Echocardiogram.

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September 6th, 2023 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

Using Voyce to enhance Virtual Clinical Trials using Animals

One Health Group (OHG) is a medical technology innovator that aims to bring breakthrough health diagnostics, monitoring, screening, and advanced analytics to the market. OHG has an extensively patented mobile health assessment platform that uses intelligent sensors and artificial intelligence to provide personalized, context-based health information for companion animals. OHG also integrates human, animal, and environmental data, which are intrinsically linked, to apply the One Health approach.

One of the applications of OHG’s technology is to enhance virtual Clinical Trials using animals. Clinical Trials are essential for testing the safety and efficacy of new drugs and therapies before they are approved for animal and human use. However, Clinical Trials using animals also face many challenges, such as ethical issues, high costs, long durations, low reproducibility, and limited scalability.

To address these challenges, OHG has developed Voyce, a wearable device that uses ultra-wideband (UWB) radar technology, multiple other innovative sensors, and machine learning to provide remote medical diagnostics for animal health. Voyce can measure vital signs, deep cardiovascular metrics, behavioral metrics, and other health metrics of animals non-invasively and continuously, without the need for anesthesia or sedation. Voyce can also transmit the data wirelessly to the cloud or a private network for data storage, analysis, and visualization.

The Voyce platform has multiple form factors for use on a very wide range of animals, including those used in multiple settings such as: companion, laboratory, commercial, wildlife, service and professional. This enables Voyce to become the leading technology for enhancing virtual Clinical Trials using many kinds of animals.

Voyce comes in four primary form factors: Wearables, Handhelds, Off-Body Fixed in the Environment, and integrated into other products (E.g., a pet bed). In addition, the underlying architecture of the Voyce platform means that it can be integrated seamlessly with Internet-of-things (IoT) devices of many kinds (e.g., those providing information on things such as humidity, air quality, outdoor, room or vehicle temperature, etc.).

Environments can be rapidly and easily deployed for virtual Clinical Trials that may include the use of all or some of these aforementioned form factors, and collection of relevant data from IoT or third-party devices. Such environments may be in a variety of settings like (among many others):

Companion animal homes.
Horse stables.
Dairy farming facilities.
Farrowing barns.
Animal training facilities.
Animal rescue facilities.
Boarding facilities.

By using Voyce in virtual Clinical Trials, OHG can offer several benefits for researchers, veterinarians, sponsors, and regulators, such as:

Reducing the number of animals used in research, which aligns with the 3Rs principles of replacement, reduction, and refinement.
Increasing the quality and quantity of data collected from animals, which can improve the statistical power and accuracy of the results.
Enhancing the welfare and comfort of animals, which can reduce stress and improve compliance.
Saving time and money by eliminating the need for frequent visits, manual measurements, and invasive procedures.
Expanding the scope and scale of research by enabling remote monitoring of animals in different locations and environments.

Voyce has been validated through extensive clinical studies with preeminent academic organizations and research institutes. In addition, all Voyce devices are designed to meet the requirements for a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) process and meet Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) requirements – as defined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These are critical factors that enables Voyce to lead in this field.

OHG has also received several awards and recognitions for its innovation and impact in the animal health industry. In fact, it was recognized as such only last month when it was announced that OHG won “Overall Healthcare Product Of The Year” in 2023 Pet Innovation Awards.

By using Voyce in virtual Clinical Trials using animals, OHG can advance its mission of improving the health and well-being of animals and humans through the One Health approach. Voyce is a game-changer for animal health research and development.

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August 23rd, 2023 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

Companion Animal Telemedicine using One Health Group (OHG) Technology

In this blog entry, we will explain what companion animal telemedicine is, why it is rising in popularity, and how OHG technology, especially Voyce, can enhance the quality and accessibility of veterinary care.

What is companion animal telemedicine?

Companion animal telemedicine is the use of information and communication technologies to provide or support veterinary services for pets remotely. It can include various methods, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, video calls, online platforms, mobile apps, or wearable devices. Companion animal telemedicine can be used for different purposes, such as:

Consultation: Veterinarians can communicate with pet owners or other veterinarians to provide advice, diagnosis, treatment, or referral for pet health issues.
Screening: The use of medical sensors to collect and present health data to help the veterinarian make an informed diagnosis.
Monitoring: Veterinarians can track and evaluate the health status and behavior of pets using data collected from sensors or devices attached to the pets or their environment.
Education: Veterinarians can educate pet owners or other veterinarians about pet health topics, such as preventive care, nutrition, or disease management.
Research: Veterinarians can conduct or participate in research projects involving pets using data collected from telemedicine platforms or devices.

Why is companion animal telemedicine rising in popularity?

Companion animal telemedicine is rising in popularity for several reasons, such as:

Demand: The number of pet owners and pets is increasing worldwide, creating a higher demand for veterinary services. According to a report by Grand View Research, the global pet care market size is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9% through 2028 and beyond. However, the supply of veterinarians and veterinary clinics is not keeping pace with the demand, resulting in a shortage of veterinary professionals and access to veterinary care in some regions.
Convenience: Companion animal telemedicine can offer convenience and flexibility for both pet owners and veterinarians. Pet owners can save time and money by avoiding travel and waiting times, as well as reduce stress and anxiety for themselves and their pets by staying at home. Veterinarians can save time and resources by reducing overhead costs, increasing productivity, and expanding their reach and clientele.
Quality: Companion animal telemedicine can improve the quality and effectiveness of veterinary care by enabling early detection, timely intervention, continuous monitoring, personalized treatment, and improved compliance. Companion animal telemedicine can also enhance the communication and collaboration between pet owners and veterinarians, as well as between veterinarians and other specialists or experts.
Innovation: Companion animal telemedicine is driven by innovation and technology development in various fields, such as artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT), cloud computing, big data analytics, mobile applications, and wearable devices. These technologies can enable new capabilities and functionalities for companion animal telemedicine, such as image analysis, voice analysis, genetic analysis, predictive analytics, smart sensors, and intelligent algorithms.

How can OHG technology enhance companion animal telemedicine?

OHG is a medical technology innovator with a mission to bring breakthrough health diagnostics, monitoring, screening, and advanced analytics to market. Its flagship health diagnostics platform, Voyce, is a breakthrough solution with radical new health diagnostic sensors, extensive remote monitoring capabilities and advanced analytics via the cloud and mobile apps.

In its first instantiation, Voyce is a revolutionary wearable device that can measure vital signs and other critical health metrics of pets non-invasively and autonomously, such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, heart rate variability (HRV), activity level, calories burned, resting patterns, body temperature, and body posture, among others. Voyce uses patented algorithms that are clinically validated through more than a million hours of Clinical Trials and in collaboration with leading universities and research institutes, both within the USA and internationally.

Voyce can transmit collected biomedical and contextual data to the cloud or private network for storage, post-processing, data visualization, and cognitive customer analytics. Voyce can also deliver the data to various platforms, such as web portals, mobile apps, or electronic medical records (EMRs), to meet the needs of any workflow.

Voyce can enhance companion animal telemedicine in many ways, such as:

Consultation: Voyce can provide accurate and reliable data for veterinarians to diagnose and treat pet health issues remotely. It can also help pet owners to communicate better with veterinarians and share relevant information about their pets’ health status and behavior.
Screening: Voyce provides a means to screen for a wide number of health conditions through the extensive set of remote monitoring sensors it provides. It’s cloud based AI also provides suggestions for veterinarians to consider when trying to make a diagnosis of often complex health cases.
Monitoring: Voyce can enable continuous and real-time monitoring of pets’ health and well-being. It can also alert pet owners and veterinarians of any abnormal or concerning changes in pets’ vital signs or health metrics.
Education: Voyce can educate pet owners about their pets’ health and wellness. It can also provide personalized and actionable recommendations for pet owners to improve their pets’ health and quality of life.
Research: Voyce can facilitate and support research projects involving pets’ health and diseases. It can provide rich and diverse data for researchers to analyze and discover new insights and solutions for animal health.

In conclusion, companion animal telemedicine is a growing and promising field that can benefit both pets and humans. OHG technology, especially Voyce, will play a vital role in advancing and enhancing companion animal telemedicine by providing innovative and bleeding-edge solutions for pet health diagnostics, monitoring, and analytics.

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August 4^th, 2023 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

Pioneering Equine Health: Ultra-Wideband based Technology for Optimal Care from One Health Group (OHG)

Introduction

Horses have been our trusted companions for centuries, standing as symbols of strength, grace, and loyalty. However, just like any other living being, they are susceptible to various health problems that can impact their well-being and performance. Timely and accurate monitoring of their health is essential to ensure early detection of issues and provide appropriate care. In this blog post, we will delve into some common health problems faced by horses and explore how the Voyce Ultra-Wideband (UWB) based health diagnostics platform technology can revolutionize equine healthcare management.

Common Health Problems in Horses

Lameness Issues

Lameness is a widespread health concern in horses and can stem from various causes, such as joint injuries, tendon problems, or hoof issues. Detecting the source of lameness early is vital to initiating targeted treatments and rehabilitation plans. Delayed diagnosis can exacerbate the condition and lead to long-term consequences, affecting the horse’s overall performance and well-being.

Gastrointestinal Disorders

Gastrointestinal problems, such as colic, are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in horses. Colic can be challenging to identify in its early stages, making it crucial for owners and caretakers to closely monitor the horse’s behavior and digestive patterns. Prompt recognition of abnormal gastrointestinal signs can significantly impact the success of treatment.

Respiratory Conditions

Respiratory issues, such as equine asthma and allergies, are increasingly prevalent in modern equine populations. These conditions can hinder a horse’s ability to breathe properly, leading to decreased performance and overall discomfort. Early detection and management are vital to ensure that the horse can continue to lead a healthy and active life.

Musculoskeletal Problems

Horses, especially those engaged in rigorous activities like racing and show jumping, are prone to musculoskeletal problems. Conditions like arthritis, osteoarthritis, and soft tissue injuries require careful monitoring and tailored treatment plans to prevent further degeneration and pain.

Ultra-Wideband Technology for Equine Health Management

Non-Invasive Monitoring

One of the most significant advantages of UWB technology is its non-invasive nature. Equipped with lightweight and comfortable wearable devices, UWB can continuously monitor a horse’s vital signs, movement patterns, and behavior without causing any stress or discomfort to the animal. This real-time data collection offers valuable insights into the horse’s overall health, enabling early detection of potential health issues.

Remote Tracking and Analysis

With UWB technology, horse owners, trainers, caretakers and veterinarians can remotely track and analyze a horse’s health data. The collected data can be stored securely in cloud-based systems, allowing for easy access and collaboration among different stakeholders involved in the horse’s care. This remote approach facilitates timely decision-making, no matter the location of the horse.

Early Detection of Lameness

UWB technology’s precision tracking capabilities can help identify subtle changes in a horse’s gait and movement patterns, which are often indicative of lameness. By catching these abnormalities early, veterinarians can intervene promptly with targeted treatments, reducing the risk of further complications and ensuring a faster recovery.

Tailored Rehabilitation Programs

For horses undergoing rehabilitation after an injury or surgery, UWB technology can play a crucial role in monitoring their progress. By precisely tracking the horse’s movements and assessing the effectiveness of the rehabilitation program, veterinarians can make data-driven adjustments to ensure a successful recovery.

Conclusion

Equine health management is a complex and dynamic process, and early detection of health problems is essential for providing the best possible care to our majestic companions. Ultra-Wideband technology is revolutionizing the way we monitor and manage equine health. OHG is well ahead of the curve with its Voyce Platform since it has already conducted successful health monitoring of horses with its UWB sensors, embedded algorithms, and cloud-based AI.

With its non-invasive nature, remote tracking capabilities via specially researched harnesses, detection algorithms, and predictive AI, the Voyce platform’s UWB empowers horse owners, trainers, handlers, and veterinarians to take proactive steps in safeguarding the health and well-being of these incredible animals. By embracing this cutting-edge technology, we can ensure that our horses continue to thrive and excel in their roles as our cherished partners.

Personalized Animal Medicine from OHG through using contextualized data, multiple sensors, and AI powered analytics is groundbreaking in equine health management.

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July 26^th, 2023 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

Personalized Animal Medicine the One Health Group Way

One Health Group (OHG) is a medical technology company that has developed an Ultra-wideband (UWB) based health monitoring platform for the animal health industry. However, while UWB provides an unprecedented set of capabilities for animal health diagnostics and monitoring, OHG also brings many other radically new sensors to bear to achieve its mission that is centered on personalized medicine.

Voyce is available as a wearable device that uses multiple innovative sensors and artificial intelligence to monitor the vital signs and health status of a range of companion, research, and commercial animals. Voyce can help veterinarians, animal owners and caretakers to detect early signs of disease, track treatment response, and provide personalized care.

Personalized animal medicine is an emerging field that aims to tailor medical interventions based on the individual characteristics of each animal, such as their contextualized biometric signature, genetic makeup, lifestyle, environment, and disease subtype. Personalized animal medicine can improve the accuracy of diagnosis, the efficacy of treatment, and the quality of life for animals.

One Health Group can improve personalized animal medicine by leveraging their expertise in data science and remote medical diagnostics. Some possible ways to do so are:

Develop and partner to utilize new sensors and algorithms that can measure and analyze more biomarkers from animals, such as genomic alterations, molecular markers, immune responses, and behavioral patterns. These biomarkers can help to identify disease subtypes, risk factors, prognosis, and treatment response for various animal diseases.
Integrating multi-omics data (such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) with real-world longitudinal data from clinical practice (such as electronic medical records) and mobile health applications (such as Voyce Mobile). This can provide a more comprehensive and dynamic picture of the health status and needs of each animal.
Collaborating with research universities and veterinarians to validate their products and solutions in clinical studies – of which OHG has already collected over a million hours worth. This can help to demonstrate the safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of their personalized animal medicine approaches compared to the standard of care.
Educating and engaging animal owners, caretakers and veterinarians about the benefits and challenges of personalized animal medicine. This can help to increase the awareness, acceptance, and adoption of their products and solutions among the potential customers and users.

OHG is the leader is remote animal health diagnostics, and has a roadmap to bring exciting new technologies to market that will enhance its vision to make personalized medicine the standard for animal health.

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July 10^th, 2023 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

How One Health Group Can Revolutionize Laboratory Research Animal Welfare with better Clinical, Ethical and Regulatory Performance

If you are a researcher or a veterinarian who works with laboratory animals, you know how challenging it can be to monitor their health and well-being. You may have to rely on invasive procedures, expensive equipment, or subjective observations to assess their vital signs, behavior, and stress levels. You may also have to deal with ethical issues, regulatory compliance, and animal welfare concerns.

But what if there was a better way to monitor the health of laboratory animals remotely, non-invasively, and accurately? What if you could get real-time data on their heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, temperature, activity, sleep patterns, and posture without disturbing them or compromising their natural behavior? What if you could use artificial intelligence to analyze the data and detect any signs of illness, injury, or distress before they become serious?

That is exactly what One Health Group (OHG) aims to do with its breakthrough product, Voyce. Voyce is a wearable device that uses ultra-wideband (UWB) radar technology and machine learning to provide remote medical diagnostics for animal health. Voyce can measure vital signs and behavior of animals with high precision and reliability, without requiring any contact or calibration. Voyce can also transmit the data wirelessly to a cloud-based platform or securely to your own internal network, where it can be accessed and analyzed by researchers and veterinarians.

What is UWB radar technology and how does it work?

UWB radar technology is a type of wireless communication that uses very short pulses of electromagnetic waves to transmit and receive signals. UWB radar technology has several advantages:

Penetrate through obstacles such as fur.
Operate in noisy environments without interference.
Consume very low power and have long battery life.
Provide high accuracy and resolution.
Support multiple devices simultaneously.

UWB radar technology can be used to sense and monitor vital signs, deeper cardiopulmonary diagnostics and behavior of animals by sending pulses of electromagnetic waves towards the animal and receiving the reflected signals. The reflected signals contain information about the movement of the animal’s chest, heart, lungs, and limbs. By processing and analyzing the reflected signals using advanced algorithms and artificial intelligence, UWB radar technology can extract various parameters such as heart rate, respiration rate, temperature, activity level, posture, and stress level.

What are the benefits of using Voyce for laboratory animal research?

Voyce can offer several benefits for laboratory animal research, such as:

Improving animal welfare by reducing stress, pain, and discomfort caused by invasive procedures or handling.
Enhancing research quality by providing objective, quantitative, and continuous data on animal health and behavior. White Coat Syndrome is eliminated.
Increasing research efficiency by saving time, money, and resources spent on conventional methods of monitoring.
Supporting ethical standards by minimizing animal use and maximizing animal care.
Complying with regulatory standards (including FDA Good Laboratory Practices) by design.

Voyce can also enable new possibilities for laboratory animal research, such as:

Studying the effects of environmental factors, such as noise, light, temperature, or humidity on animal health and behavior.
Investigating the interactions between animals in social groups or in different experimental settings.
Exploring the mechanisms of disease progression, drug efficacy, or vaccine response in animal models.
Developing new biomarkers or endpoints for animal health and welfare assessment.

How can you get Voyce for your laboratory animal research?

Voyce will soon be available for dogs and cats and through its development has been used in thousands of hours in research settings. OHG also plans to launch a solution for rodents soon. If you are interested in using Voyce for your laboratory animal research, please contact us for further information and the opportunity to be one of the first commercial users.

OHG is also open to collaborating with researchers and veterinarians who want to test or validate Voyce for different species or applications. OHG has partnered with leading research universities and veterinarians in support of their R&D efforts.

Voyce is a truly innovative product that can revolutionize laboratory animal research. By using Voyce, you can monitor the health of your laboratory animals remotely, non-invasively, and accurately. You can also improve their welfare, enhance your research quality, increase your research efficiency, and support ethical and regulatory standards. Voyce is the future of professional remote medical diagnostics for animal health.

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June 12^th, 2023 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

How Ultra-Wideband Technology Can Revolutionize Veterinary Medicine

Ultra-wideband (UWB) technology is a wireless communication system that uses very short pulses of radio waves to transmit data over a wide range of frequencies. UWB has many advantages over conventional wireless technologies, such as high bandwidth, low power consumption, high accuracy, and resistance to interference. These features make UWB ideal for applications that require precise localization, tracking, and sensing of objects and people. One Health Group (OHG) has developed a UWB based medical diagnostics platform for animals. This platform can be in contact with the animal, or completely off the animal, some distance away.

One of the most promising applications of UWB is in veterinary medicine, where it can be used to monitor and diagnose the health of animals in real-time. This is space where OHG has developed its Voyce system. The system can provide accurate and noncontact measurements of vital signs, such as heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure and body temperature. UWB can also detect abnormalities in the organs and tissues of animals, such as tumors, infections, inflammations, and injuries.

The Voyce System can be integrated into wearable devices, such as collars, harnesses, tags, or implants, that can communicate with a wireless base station or via Bluetooth to a smartphone. The devices from One Health Group pre-process the raw UWB data, then sends that data to the Voyce Cloud. This is where advanced AI algorithms are applied, which are based on over a million hours of animal data that OHG and various animal research universities have collected in nearly 3,500 clinical settings using Voyce.

This way, veterinarians can remotely access the data and alerts from the devices and provide timely and personalized care to the animals based on a monitoring regime. Such a monitoring regime pre-configures the device for a specific medical monitoring requirement – e.g., a weight loss program, through to critical monitoring after heart surgery. Voyce can also enable the creation of smart environments for animals, such as farms, zoos, or wildlife reserves, where sensors and cameras can track the location and behavior of animals and alert the staff in case of emergencies or anomalies. There is a very wide application space for the Voyce System, which can work for virtually any animal, and can fit within a very wide range of existing infrastructures for non-contact medical monitoring. Some examples are Cattle/Dairy Farming, Chicken Farming, Animal Research, Pig Farming, Horse Care, etc.

The Voyce System has the potential to revolutionize veterinary medicine by providing accurate, reliable, and cost-effective solutions for animal health monitoring and diagnosis. The Voyce System can improve the quality of life and welfare of animals by reducing stress, pain, and risks associated with invasive procedures. It can also enhance the efficiency and productivity of various animal farming industries by enabling data-driven decision making and automation for comprehensive health monitoring.

Voyce technology is still in its early stages of development and adoption, but it has already shown promising results in various animal studies and trials with some of the largest Pharmaceutical Companies in the world. Also, researchers at the University of Bristol have used UWB to measure the heart rate and respiration rate of dogs and cats with high accuracy. Researchers at the University of California have used UWB to detect lung tumors in mice with high sensitivity and specificity. Researchers have also used UWB to monitor the tissue temperature of animals. There are also multiple eminent animal research universities beyond these that have used an earlier version of the Voyce System for things like heart disease, and Arthritis monitoring.

As Voyce technology matures and becomes more widely available, it will open new possibilities and opportunities for veterinary medicine. Voyce products using UWB will enable veterinarians to provide better care to animals by accessing real-time and accurate data on their health status – both in-clinic and remotely. It will also empower animal owners and caretakers to monitor and manage their animals’ well-being more easily and effectively. UWB will ultimately contribute to the advancement of animal health science and innovation across a very wide range of animal industries.

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May 23^rd, 2023 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

What is the Egg Laying Industry?

The egg laying industry involves raising chickens for the purpose of producing eggs for human consumption. It is a global industry that varies in scale, methods, and practices across different regions and countries. It is also an industry that faces several challenges and issues, such as animal welfare, environmental impact, biosecurity, disease outbreaks, food safety, consumer expectations, and market competition.

The global egg market size was valued at $213.13 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.7% from 2021 to 2030. According to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), egg production in the United States totaled 9.18 billion during September 2021, up 1 percent from last year. Production included 7.94 billion table eggs, and 1.24 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.17 billion were broiler-type and 71.2 million were egg-type. According to the USDA, the value of all egg production in 2020 was $8.66 billion, up 18 percent from $7.33 billion in 2019.

Based on a report from USDA, showing data through May 5th, 2023, we estimate ~50M chickens will likely be affected by Avian Flu in 2023. This problem needs to be controlled, not least because of its effect on humans. Avian flu can be serious and even fatal in humans. According to the World Health Organization, avian influenza infections in humans may cause disease ranging from mild upper respiratory infection (fever and cough) to rapid progression to severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, shock and even death.

In this blog post, we will explore how One Health Group (OHG), a medical technology innovator with a mission to bring breakthrough health diagnostics, monitoring, screening, and advanced analytics to market, can help the egg laying industry overcome these challenges and improve its performance and sustainability.

What is One Health Group’s Platform Technology?

OHG’s platform technology is a novel Ultra-Wideband Radar (UWB) based platform for monitoring the health of animals using a noncontact intelligent sensor array that measures vital signs such as heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, core body temperature, activity level, and stress level. While UWB takes center stage, multiple other high-tech sensors are utilized, which are complimented by the use of artificial intelligence including, neural networks and machine learning algorithms, to provide personalized insights and recommendations based on the animal’s species, breed, age, weight, sex, health condition, and environmental factors.

The underlying technology for the platform is the patented use of UWB to monitor animal health while on or off body. OHG holds the exclusive world-wide rights to utilize UWB for animal health monitoring. To this end, OHG has configured and applied its technology platform to different types of animals, from its original companion animal focus, to include Pigs, Goats, Cows Horses Rats, Chickens and more. For the egg laying industry, OHG technology can provide a unique and economically valuable solution for remote medical diagnostics and health management of hens.

How Can One Health Group Technology Benefit the Egg Laying Industry?

OHG technology can benefit the egg laying industry in several ways, such as:

Improving the quality of life and welfare of chickens by providing noninvasive and comfortable health monitoring that does not require any contact with the skin or feathers.
Preventing or detecting disease at an early stage by providing accurate and reliable health data that can alert farmers, caretakers and veterinarians of any abnormal changes or signs of illness.
Reducing healthcare costs by avoiding unnecessary treatments or interventions that may result from inaccurate or delayed diagnosis.
Enhancing productivity and profitability of egg production by optimizing the health and performance of chickens and reducing mortality and morbidity rates.
Contributing to food security and safety by ensuring the quality and safety of eggs, while reducing the risk of zoonotic diseases or foodborne illnesses.

Conclusion

OHG technology can provide a revolutionary solution for the egg laying industry by providing unprecedented access to predictive, real-time, actionable health data for chickens. This can help the industry overcome some key challenges and improve its performance and sustainability.

If you are interested in learning more about OHG technology or how it can benefit your egg production business, please contact us today. We would love to hear from you.

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May 10th, 2023 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

Exploring Animal Markets in which One Health Group will have a major impact.

In this blog post we will explore the market potential and opportunities for OHG in various segments of animal health, including:

Companion Animals,
Livestock and Dairy Farming, and,
Animal Research.

There are also other market segments where the Voyce platform will compete, but we will focus on a few in the Blog.

Companion Animals

Companion animals are pets that provide companionship and emotional support to humans. They include dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, birds, reptiles, and others. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey, in 2020, around 67% of households have at least one pet. The global companion animal health market size was valued at USD 18.67 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.2% from 2021 to 2028. The U.S. companion animal health market size was valued at USD 5.2 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 10.3% from 2023 to 2030. It is worth noting here that Voyce has the potential to grow this market significantly due its breakthrough technology enabling new operational opportunities and resulting in new business models.

The market is driven by the growing adoption of companion animals (including a major boost during the COVID-19 pandemic), the increasing awareness and expenditure on pet health and wellness, the availability and adoption of pet insurance, the rising incidence of chronic diseases such as cancer and obesity in pets, and the advent of new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), wearable devices, health sensors embedded into the environment, telemedicine, and point-of-care diagnostics.

OHG’s Voyce is a truly new generation technology platform for monitoring the health of companion animals. It uses a noncontact intelligent sensor that measures vital signs such as heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, core body temperature, activity level, sleep quality, and calories expended. It also uses AI to provide personalized insights and recommendations based on many attributes of the species. Voyce allows veterinarians to track a pet’s health trends over time and receive alerts for any abnormal changes.

Voyce also provides a comprehensive set of apps to allow veterinarians to obtain the type of health insights and early diagnostics that have simply not been possible in the past. This includes the unique implementation of monitoring regimes, making personalized health monitoring easy and based on the animal’s current health state. Such monitoring regimes have the intrinsic capability of sharing best practices throughout the industry.

OHG’s Voyce has several advantages over other existing products in the market. First, it is noninvasive and comfortable for the pet as it does not require any contact with the skin or fur. Second, it is accurate and reliable as it uses Ultra-WideBand radar technology that can penetrate through fur and measure vital signs with high precision – allowing both wearable solutions and solutions that are embedded in the home or clinical environment. Third, it is versatile and scalable as it can be used for different types of companion animals such as dogs and cats. Fourth, it is affordable and accessible as it does not require any expensive equipment or laboratory tests. Fifth, no special clinical training is required by the veterinarian or veterinary technician to use Voyce.

OHG’s Voyce has the potential to revolutionize the companion animal health market by providing pet owners and veterinarians with unprecedented access to real-time and actionable health information. This can help improve the quality of life and longevity of pets, prevent or detect diseases at an early stage, reduce healthcare costs, and enhance the bond between pets and humans.

Livestock and Dairy Farming Livestock and dairy farming are sectors that involve raising animals for food production such as meat, milk, eggs, wool and others. They include cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry, and others. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in 2019, there were about:· 1.5 billion cattle,· 1 billion sheep,· 0.9 billion goats,· 0.8 billion pigs,· and 23 billion chickens in the world. The global livestock diagnostics market size was valued at USD 1.4 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% from 2020 to 2027. The global dairy herd management market size was valued at USD 2.8 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2020 to 2027. Per the previously explored segment, Voyce has the potential to grow this market significantly due its breakthrough technology enabling new operational opportunities and resulting in new business models. The market is driven by the growing demand for animal protein, the increasing prevalence of zoonotic diseases such as avian influenza, foot-and-mouth disease, and bovine tuberculosis, the rising awareness and adoption of animal welfare practices, the growing need for enhancing productivity and efficiency of livestock farming, and the emergence of new technologies such as precision livestock farming, biotechnology,and genomics. OHG’s Voyce is a novel technology platform for monitoring the health of livestock and dairy animals. It uses a noncontact intelligent sensor that measures vital signs such as heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure temperature, rumination, activity level, and stress level. It also uses AI to provide personalized insights and recommendations based on the animal’s age, breed, weight, health condition, and environmental factors. Voyce allows farmers, ranchers and veterinarians to track their animal’s health trends over time, share data with their service providers, and receive alerts for any abnormal changes. Voyce also provides a comprehensive set of apps to allow veterinarians, ranchers and farmers to obtain the type of health insights and early diagnostics that have simply not been possible in the past. OHG’s Voyce has the potential to revolutionize the livestock and dairy farming market by providing farmers, ranchers and veterinarians with unprecedented access to real-time and actionable health information. This can help improve the quality of life and welfare of animals, prevent or detect diseases at an early stage, reduce healthcare costs, enhance productivity and profitability of farming / ranching operations, and contribute to food security and safety. Animal Research Animal research is the use of animals for scientific purposes such as biomedical research, drug development, toxicology testing, and education. Animals are used as models to study human diseases, physiology, genetics, behavior, and development. They are also used to test the safety and efficacy of new drugs, vaccines, medical devices, and cosmetics. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in 2019, there were about 780,000 animals used for research in the U.S., excluding mice, rats, birds, and fish. The global animal model market size was valued at USD 17.7 billion in 2021 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.1% from 2022 to 2028. The global animal genetics market size was valued at USD 6.64 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach USD 9.66 billion in 2027 and register a CAGR of 5.2% during the forecast period. Per the previously explored segment, Voyce has the potential to grow this market significantly due its breakthrough technology enabling new operational opportunities and resulting in new business models.

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April 24th, 2023 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

The Value of the Voyce Health Monitoring System to a Veterinary Practice

A message to Veterinarians. Voyce Can Enhance your Veterinary Practice and Improve Client Satisfaction.

As a veterinarian, you know how important it is to provide the best care possible for your patients. You also know how challenging it can be to monitor their health and wellness between visits, especially for chronic or complex cases. You rely on your clients to observe and report any changes or concerns in their pets behavior, symptoms, or vital signs. But how accurate and reliable are these observations, and how is data collected when the client (or pet parent) is not physically present? How often do you wish you had more objective and comprehensive data to support your diagnosis and treatment decisions, but without having your and your staff deal with ad-hoc phone calls, texts or emails?

That’s where Voyce comes in. Voyce is a revolutionary platform that tracks the health of your patients health and wellness using amazing new sensors and artificial intelligence. It’s advanced features and benefits allow deep and accurate monitoring that is easily tailored to the personal health issues of the pet. The days of “White Coat Syndrome” become something if the past.

Voyce is a device that primarily attaches to pets in various easy to use form factors – e.g., attaching to collars or harness; with additional use cases where the voice platform is integrated into the home environment. It measures pets heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, activity level, rest patterns, and much more. It also connects to a dashboard that displays trends and insights of pets health and wellness. You can access the dashboard from any device and share it with your clients or other colleagues. Depending on the specific case, you can choose to be alerted if certain health thresholds are exceeded. This replaces the need for subjective and difficult to manage interactions with the pet parent. Voyce has a regimes that make monitoring easy to implement, and to also adopt existing best practices immediately.

Voyce also provides your clients with a simple and personalized health status check, and expert advice and tips on how to improve the health and happiness of their pet given any chronic or acute health conditions it may face.

Voyce can help you with many aspects of your veterinary practice, such as:

Preventing and managing chronic conditions such as congestive heart failure, osteoarthritis, obesity, and anxiety. Voyce can help you monitor your patients symptoms, medication effects, and response to treatment.
Detecting early signs of illness or distress such as fever, pain, infection, dehydration, or stress. Voyce can help you catch any problems before they become serious or life-threatening. You can also advise your clients on when to bring their pets in for a check-up or emergency visit when on a long-term health monitoring program.
Improving your pets fitness and nutrition. Voyce can help you and the pet parent track activity level, calories burned, and resting patterns. You can also provide automated recommendations for exercise and diet that suit the pets needs and goals. There are many interesting opportunities in this space, such as integrating the Voyce Platform with pet feeders for example.
Enhancing your communication and relationship with your clients. Voyce can help you educate your clients on their pet’s health and wellness. You can also share elements of the data dashboard with them, so they can see the progress and results of your care; communicate with them through the Voyce App; and send them reminders, tips, or feedback. Much of this can be automated using the AI built into Voyce.

Voyce is more than just a gadget. It’s a way to improve the effectiveness and profitability of your veterinary practice, and at the same time increase your clients’ satisfaction. It’s a way to provide the best care possible for your patients.

Voyce is the ultimate wearable for the animal health industry, and the Voyce Platform allows for revolutionary new ways to monitor the health of pets through integration with the environment in which they live. It’s the best tool you can have to enhance your veterinary practice and improve your clients’ satisfaction. Voyce will soon be available for dogs, and a solution for cats will follow shortly afterwards.

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April 17th 2023 – Blog Entry by Mark Frazer and Albert Di Rienzo

How Voyce Health Monitors Can Keep Service Animals Healthy.

Service animals are specially trained animals that give aid and support to people with disabilities, such as blindness, deafness, mobility impairment, autism, epilepsy, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc. Also, service animals are used to a great extent for things like Search and Rescue, Customs and Border Protection, Military, Police and Private Security. Service animals can perform various tasks and functions that can help their owners live more independently and safely; or help their handlers perform their jobs more effectively – such as animals used at airports to identify risks and help with law enforcement.

However, service animals also face various challenges and risks, such as stress, fatigue, injury, infection, and end of life challenges, that can affect their health and performance.

One way to keep service animals healthy is to use Voyce vital signs monitors. Voyce is a wearable device that can measure the vital signs and behavior of dogs, such as heart rate, respiration rate, activity level, calories burned, and sleep quality. It also provides personalized health insights and alerts based on the data collected. Voyce can be worn by service dogs of any size or breed and can be easily integrated with their harness or vest.

Voyce health monitors can provide various benefits for service animals and their owners and handlers, such as:

Early detection and prevention of health issues: By monitoring the vital signs and behavior of service dogs, Voyce can detect any abnormalities or changes that may indicate the onset or presence of health issues or conditions. This can enable timely interventions and treatments that can prevent or mitigate the severity and duration of illnesses. This can also improve the health and longevity of service dogs and reduce veterinary costs. For example, Voyce can alert the owner or handler if the service dog has a fever, an irregular heartbeat, a respiratory infection, or a low activity level.
Enhanced performance and productivity: By monitoring the vital signs and behavior of service dogs, Voyce can help the owner or handler optimize their training and management strategies. This can improve the performance and productivity of service dogs and ensure their readiness and reliability for their tasks and functions. For example, Voyce can help the owner/handler adjust the exercise intensity and duration of service dogs based on their heart rate and activity level. It can also help the owner monitor the rest and recovery of service dogs based on their sleep quality and respiration rate; with another example being when to rest service dogs in boarder control environments, working in hot desert terrains.
Improved communication and bonding: By monitoring the vital signs and behavior of service dogs, Voyce can provide valuable information and feedback to the owner/handler about their emotional state and well-being. This can improve the communication and bonding between the owner and the service dog and enhance their mutual trust and understanding. For example, Voyce can help the owner recognize the signs of stress or anxiety in service dogs based on their heart rate variability and activity level. It can also help the owner reward and praise service dogs based on good performance as objectively measured by the Voyce system.

Voyce health monitors can be a valuable tool for service animals and their owners/handlers to keep them healthy. By using a wearable device that can measure the vital signs and behavior of dogs, owners/handlers can obtain real-time insights and alerts that can help them optimize their care and management practices and enhance their communication and bonding.

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