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Care Technology Glossary of Terms

We have compiled a list of key terms used in the technology-enabled care sector. This resource will be continuously reviewed and updated. Please inform us if there are any terms you would like to see added to the glossary.

AJAX progress indicator
  • Refers to a biomedical device that can be swallowed for use within the body.
  • Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) are not necessary for fundamental functioning, but they let an individual live independently in a community. IADLs include housework, preparing meals, taking medications as prescribed and managing money.
  • ISDN is a set of communication standards for the simultaneous digital transmission of voice, video, data, and other network services over the digitalised elements of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). In telecare, ISDN services have often provided telephone connections to alarm-receiving centres. Confusingly, although the definition of ISDN includes the word “digital” the service does not use the Internet Protocol. ISDN services are being discontinued as part of the upgrade to IP-enabled digital phone lines and so must be replaced.
  • A global computer network providing a variety of information and communication capabilities, consisting of interconnected networks using standardised communication protocols.
  • A development of the Internet in which everyday objects have network connectivity, allowing them to send and receive data, thus allowing for intelligent and interactive applications to be implemented, both within the home and elsewhere.
  • The IP is the method or protocol by which data is sent from one device to another on the Internet. Each device connected to the Internet has at least one IP address that uniquely identifies it from all other computers on the Internet.
  • An Internet service provider (ISP) is a company that provides access to the Internet.
  • Interoperability is the ability of different technology products, systems, and software applications to work together seamlessly by communicating and exchanging data using a common protocol. It works at various levels, from technical to semantic. For full interoperability, products, systems, and services must agree on a common protocol for each level.
  • iOS is Apple’s mobile operating system. It is used on iPhones and iPads. WatchOS is a variant that runs on the Apple Watch.
  • A unique string of numbers that identifies each device connected to the Internet.
  • IPACS is a digital grouped scheme alarm signalling protocol. It is a Tunstall proprietary protocol rather than an open standard. It was originally developed by STT Condigi, which was acquired by Tunstall in 2012.