Unfortunately, a lot of us take their health for granted, however, the global COVID-19 situation showed us yet again how crucial it is to be vigilant about it. We are witnessing a digital transformation of a lot of spheres, and the health industry is no stranger. From your mobile device to a high-tech laboratory, newness is omnipresent. In this article, we will touch on the topic of how technology may transform our daily lives into a journey back to our health.
Wearables and Apps
It’s no secret that almost everybody on Earth has a connection to a mobile device. Let alone all the tiny and big gadgets that accompany it nowadays! Although it is predominantly fun & games, your mobile device can bring about a plethora of benefits. Health apps are a topic we have previously discussed, nevertheless, they are the main culprits in transforming our mindsets. Among all other apps, these types of applications are ready to reap the advantages right in front of your eyes.
The future of medicine is closely connected to the empowerment of individuals to take care of themselves through health technology. Thus, from diet & exercise, water reminders, menstrual cycle trackers to specific problem-tailored apps, these new realities can be life-savers. Combined with smart gadgets, that offer real-time tracking of your bodily functions and timely notifications, health apps are here to stay and further develop their potential. COVID-19 also let virtual meetups with doctors and apps designed for notifications with the most recent news to happen. Thus, further developed how we can combine the common digital experience with bare necessities.
AI and Augmented reality
Artificial intelligence has the greatest potential to turn our health perceptions upside down. AI algorithms can mine medical records, design treatment plans, or create drugs way faster than any current participant in healthcare (including medical professionals). Big companies also place their bets on AI, for instance, the collaboration between Google and DeepMind’s health team. Their joint efforts created an A.I. for breast cancer analysis, which outperformed all human radiologists on pre-selected data sets!
As far as augmented reality goes, it differs from virtual reality in two major aspects: users do not lose touch with reality & it puts information into eyesight as fast as possible. This is pretty useful for medical professionals, too. As it might help medical students prepare better for real-life operations and surgeons can enhance their capabilities.
3D Printing and Robotics
Another revolutionary field worth discussing is 3D printing health technology. It went on a similar journey as mobile devices- from mainstream usage to the medical world. We can now print bio tissues, blood vessels, artificial limbs, and the list goes on and will likely keep on doing so. Surprisingly, the pharmaceutical industry is also benefiting from this technology by printing out pills.
Moreover, robotics development ranges from robot companions through surgical robots to exoskeletons, or disinfection robots. The latter, proved themselves to be useful in a world closed by the pandemic.
Final words
The technological advances in the medical field have allowed many life-saving procedures to become commonplace. Just the thought of virtually visiting a doctor from distance would have been difficult to believe only a few decades ago! Of course, it is not just healthcare startups and digital companies that have a role to play here. There is so much opportunity ahead for the health industry to capitalize. New digital services and tools to help people on their path to better health, the latest mobile or remote diagnostics, and biometrics are just the tip of the iceberg. More than ever before, we need a joint effort to rethink the way tech and health overlap in our digital age. So if you have an idea in mind, don’t hesitate to make it a reality with us!