Medical query answering apparatus

1. A method of providing medical information, the method comprising:

converting detected audio signals into a natural language data stream;

determining from the natural language data stream whether a voice command for information relating to a medical device or a medicament has been issued by a user;

in response to a positive determination, converting at least part of the natural language data stream into a query for querying a medical database;

supplying the query to the medical database and receiving a response therefrom;

generating an audio output based at least in part on the response from the medical database;

determining a user identity of the user;

retrieving user data from a user database using the user identity;

modifying the audio output based at least in part on the user data;

providing the audio output;

creating a log of the query, the log comprising the user identity, an identifier of the query, and an identifier of the response provided; and

storing the log in the medical database.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting the query to a data server comprising the medical database, the data server being remotely located from the user.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining if a suitable response to the query is present in the medical database;

making a negative determination;

in response to making the negative determination, transmitting the query to a secondary query answering facility.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving a new response from the secondary query answering facility; and

providing an audio output based at least in part on the new response from the secondary query answering facility.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the new response is generated at the secondary query answering facility in a text format and the audio output is created from the new response using a text-to-speech process.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

transmitting the new response to the medical database; and

storing the new response in the medical database together with metadata relating to the query.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the response comprises video data, and wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting the response to a display device; and

providing a video output on the display device based at least in part on the video data in the response.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising verifying the user identity prior to retrieving the user data from the user database.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the voice command has been issued by a user comprises:

identifying one or more potential voice commands in the natural language data stream;

calculating one or more confidence levels respectively for the one or more potential voice commands;

selecting a potential voice command of the one or more potential voice commands based on the one or more confidence levels;

comparing a confidence level of the potential voice command that is selected to a pre-defined threshold confidence level; and

where the confidence level of the potential voice command that is selected is above the pre-defined threshold confidence, making a positive determination that the potential voice command that is selected is present.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising providing a request for a user to repeat a voice command where a positive determination that more than one selected voice command is present has been made.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the query is selected from a list of predetermined permissible queries.

12. An apparatus for providing medical information, the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory including computer program code which, when executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to perform operations comprising:

converting detected audio signals into a natural language data stream;

determining from the natural language data stream whether a voice command for information relating to a medical device or a medicament has been issued by a user;

in response to a positive determination, converting at least part of the natural language data stream into a query for querying a medical database;

supplying the query to the medical database and receiving a response therefrom;

generating an audio output based at least in part on the response from the medical database;

determining a user identity of the user;

retrieving user data from a user database using the user identity;

modifying the audio output based at least in part on the user data;

providing the audio output;

creating a log of the query, the log comprising the user identity, an identifier of the query, and an identifier of the response provided; and

storing the log in the medical database.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting the query to a data server comprising the medical database, the data server being remotely located from the user.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining if a suitable response to the query is present in the medical database;

making a negative determination;

in response to making the negative determination, transmitting the query to a secondary query answering facility.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a new response from the secondary query answering facility; and

providing an audio output based at least in part on the new response from the secondary query answering facility.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the new response is generated at the secondary query answering facility in a text format and the audio output is created from the new response using a text-to-speech process.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:

transmitting the new response to the medical database; and

storing the new response in the medical database together with metadata relating to the query.

18. A system for providing medical information, the system comprising:

a speaker;

a microphone;

a medical database; and

a processor arrangement programmed to cause the system to perform operations comprising:

converting detected audio signals into a natural language data stream,

determining from the natural language data stream whether a voice command for information relating to a medical device or a medicament has been issued by a user,

in response to a positive determination, converting at least part of the natural language data stream into a query for querying the medical database,

supplying the query to the medical database and receiving a response therefrom,

generating an audio output based at least in part on the response from the medical database,

determining a user identity of the user,

retrieving user data from a user database using the user identity,

modifying the audio output based at least in part on the user data,

providing the audio output,

creating a log of the query, the log comprising the user identity, an identifier of the query, and an identifier of the response provided, and

storing the log in the medical database.