Inhalers Smart
- Inhalers are the primary medication choice for asthma which, if done properly, should be successful for 90 % of patients. Data reveals, however, that only around 50 per cent of patients have their condition under control and as many as 94 per cent do not use inhalers properly.
- Bluetooth-enabled smart inhalers have been created to help asthma sufferers properly control their disease. A tiny monitor is connected to the inhaler that tracks the date and time of each dosage and whether it has been correctly administered. This data is then sent to the smartphones of the patients so that they can keep track of and control their condition.
Robotic surgery:
- Robotic surgery is used in minimally invasive procedures and helps with precision, control and flexibility. During robotic surgery, surgeons can perform very complex procedures that are otherwise either very difficult or impossible. As technology advances, it can be combined with augmented reality to enable surgeons to display essential additional patient details in real time while still in operation. Although the technology raises fears that it will potentially replace human surgeons, it is likely to be used only to support and improve the work of surgeons in the future.
Wireless brain sensor
- Thanks to plastics, medical advancements have helped scientists and doctors to work together to build bioresorbable electronics that can be inserted in the brain and dissolved when they are no longer needed, according to Plasticstoday.com. This medical device can help doctors determine the temperature and pressure inside the brain. Since the sensors are capable of dissolving, they reduce the need for additional surgeries.
Printing 3-D
- If you haven't heard of it, 3-D printers have rapidly become one of the hottest inventions on the market. These printers can be used to make implants and even joints that can be used during surgery. 3-D-printed prosthetics are increasingly common because they are completely personalized, with digital features that allow them to fit individual measurements to millimeters. This allows for an unprecedented level of comfort and mobility.
- The use of printers can produce both long lasting and soluble products. For example, 3-D printing can be used to print pills containing multiple drugs that will help patients with the organization, timing and monitoring of multiple drugs.
Artificial organs
- Bioprinting is also an emerging medical technology to take 3D printing up another notch. While it was initially revolutionary to be able to rebuild skin cells for skin draughts for burn victims, it eventually gave way to even more exciting possibilities. Scientists have been able to create blood vessels, synthetic ovaries, and even a pancreas. Such artificial organs then develop inside the patient's body to replace the original defective organ. The ability to supply artificial organs that are not rejected by the body's immune system could be revolutionary, saving millions of patients who depend on life-saving transplants every year.
Health watch
- The demand for wearable devices has increased since their launch in the last few years, after the advent of bluetooth in 2000. People use their phone today to monitor everything from their movements, physical activity and heartbeat to their sleep patterns. The use of these wearable devices is related to increasing chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and aims to counter these diseases by allowing patients to track and enhance their health.
- At the end of 2018, Apple made headlines for its revolutionary Apple Series 4 Watch, which has an integrated ECG to track the heart rhythms of the wearer. Within days of its release, consumers were raving about the life saving device, which is able to detect potentially dangerous heart conditions much earlier than normal. The demand for wearable devices is expected to hit $67 billion by 2024.
Precision Drug
- As medical technology progresses, individual patients are increasingly customized. Precision medicine, for example , allows physicians to choose medicines and therapies to treat diseases , such as cancer, based on the individual's genetic make-up. Such personalized medicine is much more successful than any other form of treatment because it targets tumors based on the particular genes and proteins of the patient, induces gene mutations and makes it more easily killed by cancer medicines.
- This can also be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. It uses a similar mechanism to target susceptible genes of the disease to weaken it and reduce symptoms and joint damage.
Virtual Reality:
- Virtual reality has been around for some time now. Recently, however, with medical and technological advances, medical students have been able to get closer to real life experience using technology. Sophisticated tools help them gain the experience they need by rehearsing procedures and providing a visual understanding of how human anatomy is linked. VR devices will also serve as a valuable aid to patients , helping them to diagnose, plan their treatment and helping them prepare for the procedures they are facing. It has also proved very useful in the rehabilitation and recovery of patients.
Telehealth:
- In a technologically driven world, it is thought that as many as 60 per cent of customers prefer digital services. Telehealth defines a fast-moving system that enables patients to seek medical treatment through their digital devices instead of waiting for face-to - face appointments with their doctor. For example , highly personalized mobile apps are being developed that allow patients to talk virtually with physicians and other medical professionals to receive instant diagnostics and medical advice.
- This is especially useful for patients who have chronic illnesses because it provides them with reliable, efficient and cost-effective treatment.
CRISPR
- Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) is the most advanced gene-editing technology. It functions by harnessing the normal mechanisms of the bacterium cell immune systems of invading viruses, which can then 'cut off' infected DNA strands. This DNA cutting is what has the power to potentially transform the way we treat the disease. Through altering dna, some of the greatest threats to our health, such as cancer and HIV, may possibly be solved in a matter of years.
- CRISPR is still a first-generation tool, and its full capabilities are not yet fully understood.
- People live longer and fewer illnesses are known to be incurable.
