Connected objects are increasingly establishing themselves in the equestrian market. Help tools for professionals and individuals, they offer the possibility of having more precise and objective data in just a few clicks.
But how do you assess the reliability and security of this information? Are there labels and certifications to ensure a healthy basis of trust?
“Connected objects intended to monitor animal health do not currently have a regulatory status, unlike medical devices which must provide proof of reliability in their use to obtain the CE marking. This validation process, a priori long and expensive, does not seem to me to be suitable for animal health”, underlines Annick Valentin-Smith, veterinary doctor specializing in animal e-health and co-founder of Vet In Tech, a think tank which particularly wishes to share the information available to facilitate the work of analysis and reflection of the veterinary profession and its partners on animal e-health.
Certify to reassure
“The need for reassurance from users and prescribers is growing. A certification, implemented by the profession or approved certification bodies, could validate the use value – that is to say respond to an unmet need or bring progress compared to existing solutions – technological reliability object and finally IT security and legal data compliance. For the moment, animal health data is rarely conveyed in secure networks and is not centralized in the corresponding animal files. The next step will therefore be to secure everything and centralize everything in one place in the business software.” Despite its expansion, the structured organization of the Internet of Things (IoT) remains a battle to be waged.
Certification, this long road
To prove the capacity of its connected gaiters Ekico has provided reliable data in the detection of subtle lameness and the monitoring of rehabilitation, the brand is working hard: “We continuously go back and forth between validation in the field by clinical examinations with veterinarians (photo), between theoretical validation with the University of Namur and finally with our research and development service providers, designers, engineers, etc. . A label that would provide us with specifications to be respected would be of great help in guiding creators to fashion tools that meet the needs and level of requirements of professionals.”
