My Unexpected Instagram Obsession
One of my guilty pleasures is watching garbage trucks on Instagram (shout-out to @garbagetruckau and their 48,000 followers—I feel validated!). There’s something oddly satisfying about watching bins emptied with precision or—hilariously—not. But beyond entertainment, these reels sparked a deeper thought:
AI in Health and Social Care: What’s in the Bin?
In the tsunami of AI in health and social care, who’s checking what’s being tipped into the wheelie bin?
Yesterday, I had a brilliant chat with Prof Kirrie Ballard, who highlighted the flood of speech therapy apps developed without input from speech pathologists or solid evidence backing them up. Which means, quite literally: garbage in, garbage out.
Research Methods: They’re Still Relevant (I Promise!)
Yes, I’m about to bring up research methods again (students everywhere groan!). But understanding good versus bad evidence isn’t optional. AI demands we know exactly what trained these digital minds, especially for clinical decision-making.
Bringing AI Ideas to Life: Easier Said Than Done
But what if we uncover concerning data? Who do we turn to?
Bringing AI ideas to life is tough—I’m experiencing this now, navigating slow university partnerships and funding struggles. Prof Kirrie shared that as a Speechie working with cerebral palsy, she collaborated with engineers to develop practical devices. Inspired by this, I dreamt of creating an AHP AI institute empowering Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) to shape the AI space. Kirrie and I agreed: AHPs must lead this charge, ensuring apps truly enhance lives with quality, evidence-based knowledge.
Introducing unplexi™: Your AI Quality Inspector
That’s exactly why I developed unplexi™—a platform ensuring transparency and robust evidence underpin allied health decision-making. Think of unplexi™ as your personal garbage truck inspector—assessing what’s going in, preventing rubbish from coming out.
Call to Action: Join the Inspection Team!
We’re at a crossroads. As allied health professionals, being AI-aware isn’t optional. Ignorance isn’t bliss—it’s just plain garbage.
Roll up your sleeves and join me as the garbage truck inspectors of the AI world—because nobody wants rubbish outcomes. Except maybe 48,000 garbage-truck-loving Australians (myself included).