Microsyntax.org

In November we announced Open Mobile Health Exchange as a Microsyntax.org project:

Open Mobile Health Exchange(OMHE) Now an Official Microsyntax.org Project

Microsyntax.org is a non-profit focused on identifying, researching and finding consensus on information syntax in real-time streams. A microsyntax is human and machine readable combination of letters and number used to communicate information in a highly compact and meaningful way. For example, in Twitter, the ‘@’ symbol followed by a user’s name indicates a ‘reply’ or ‘mention’. Many SMS mobile text message services also qualify as examples of microsyntax.  Microsyntax is everywhere in the modern digital age, hence organizing and steering microsyntax development increases communication and interoperability between systems and services.   Microsyntax.org was created to identify where microsyntax is used “in the wild” and work toward consensus when alternative and incompatible conventions are introduced or proposed.

OMHE (Open Mobile Health Exchange), pronounced “ooommm” is an open-source microsyntax for medical devices, and other “short text capable” systems. OMHE is used for sending blood pressure, blood glucose, weight, step-per-day, pain levels, and other common information often sent between people and their health care provider. It’s designed to be easily typed on a mobile phone, while at the same time, easy for machines (i.e. computer, applications) to understand. Although OMHE is simple enough for manual human entry, its not always necessarily typed directly by humans. For example, many applications may present the user (human) with a graphical user interface (GUI), but still use OMHE as the underlying data format. OMHE can also be used for “machine-to-machine” communication. For example, OMHE is an output message format suited for medical devices such as pedometers, blood glucose meters, blood pressure meters, weight scales, and other hardware.

Stowe Boyd, president of Microsyntax.org, said, “I am happy to see the sort of innovation that is motivating OHME and look forward to advancing the adoption of the initiative in the industry”.

OMHE was created for the greater good and in the interest of improving public health. Specifically, OMHE can increase electronic communication between people and physicians, OMHE promotes behavior change & disease prevention. OMHE has no royalties, no fees, and no groups to join to access the format, hence OMHE can lower health care costs and promote interoperability. The initial creator of OMHE, Alan Viars, will continue to manage the manage the project for Microsyntax.org. Alan Viars said, “OMHE can promote health, reduce costs, and promote interoperability, especially as a project under microsyntax.org.  We seek other’s involvement from the health IT community to help improve and expand this exciting new way to communicate”.

For more information please visit http://microsyntax.org or the OMHE project page http://code.google.com/p/omhe.

During the next few weeks, OMHE will be rehosting some of their activities to this new websit. More to follow.