Healthcare and medicine is moving at an incredible pace. The future of healthcare is seeing technologies like 3D printing, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence and robotics. Who knows, maybe in the future it will be robots performing our surgery? Let’s look at some of the ways medicine is marching forward:
- AI
Artificial intelligence has the potential to totally transform healthcare. Algorithms can be produced to plough through medical records much faster than the human eye, design treatment plans and create drugs. Imagine a supercomputer that can diagnose based on a database of molecular structures. Already, two new drugs have been identified by machine that could help massively with the danger of the Ebola virus.
- Trackers and Sensors
This technology is about empowering the patient by providing them with information to take care of their own health. Devices such as wearable trackers and sensors can educate us about our bodies and allow us to take charge of this knowledge. Whether it’s about losing weight, lowering stress levels or improving your cognitive abilities – there are a range of wearable gadgets designed for a whole suite of health issues.
- Drug Development
At the moment, drug development is an extremely long, costly experience. Through the use of AI, this process could be sped up significantly. A revolutionary idea at present is the use of in silico trials. These are computer simulations used in drug development and regulatory examinations for new drugs, devices or procedures. Imagine what could be achieved if we could hastily test new drugs on millions of virtual patients instead of real ones. Until this technology can become a reality, many trials are actively recruiting volunteers for vital drug development work. For more information on Clinical Trial Volunteers, visit http://www.trials4us.co.uk/
- Nanotechnology
Imagine a tiny, microscopic method of delivering devices, carrying out procedures and administering drugs that would require no invasive treatment. Experiments are taking place with robots that measure less than a millimetre that can swim through your body’s bloodstream, carrying out their work, undetected by you. They have even been designed to be able to travel across the liquid on the surface of your eyeballs!
- 3D Printing
We are likely to see much more of this technology being used in healthcare ion the future. Already, there are numerous ways 3D printing can be used in medicine from printing skin tissue complete with blood vessels to creating synthetic skin. The impressive technology has been used to great benefit in the war-torn country of Sudan where many war survivors have suffered a loss of a limb. Locals were trained in how to operate the equipment to provide low cost prosthetics for individual patients.