How to Use Computer Vision to Keep Stock of Inventory

Many hospitals in Canada face inefficiencies in managing medical supplies due to outdated, manual inventory systems that rely on staff physically checking supplies and recording data with pen and paper. This process not only wastes staff time but also leads to poor visibility and predictability of supply usage, causing frustration among healthcare workers. To address this issue, a team developed a web application using computer vision and machine learning for real-time inventory monitoring. The system employs video monitoring and object detection to track supplies, allowing healthcare providers to efficiently allocate resources and focus more on patient care. The project, facilitated by Roboflow's tools for augmenting and training image datasets, was completed during a 30-hour hackathon and won second place in Geekspeak's 2021 Hack for Good Competition. The solution promises to enhance supply chain efficiency and provide data-driven insights at a provincial level, potentially transforming inventory management across Ontario's healthcare system.