Yes, hospitals still use pneumatic tubes!

 

Earlier this year the technology magazine WIRED had a ground-breaking story - hospitals still use pneumatic tubes! I was reminded of how my fascination with pneumatic tubes began over 10 years ago now, by realising, that yes, hospitals use pneumatic tubes!

WIRED reports that the technology may seem "wonky and antiquated" but is surprisingly used in hospitals across the US. Just like other technologies, they state, the systems are prone to hacking. We've seen other cases of that in this blog, such as robbers trying to steal money from pneumatic tube cash points (and getting their arms stuck in the attempt). 

The threat of the hacks has been taken seriously because of the vital role that pneumatic tube systems play in modern day healthcare, moving the increasing number of tests and samples taken around hospital buildings. The hacks on the system could be on digital infrastructures guiding the tubes or on the hardware systems through the online manipulation of robotic arms or blowers.

The pneumatic tube systems and hospitals are on to it, looking into how to avoid such cyberattacks on these important infrastructural systems, systems that can work smoothly and so well that it is easy to forget the potential weaknesses in them as well.

Photo: my own, from one of my first visits to a hospital pneumatic tube system in Melbourne, Australia