Life expectancy has been increasing for some time now, mostly due to the advances in the medical field that some of our greatest minds have conjured. As we progress in both our understanding of the human body and our mastery of technology, it’s only natural that we use our know-how to alleviate the medical conditions that have plagued us since the dawn of man.
If you pay attention to Harvard theoretical physicist Michio Kaku, you might know that there are 3 Types of civilization. While we are still below Type 1. If, or when, we ever get to Type 2, we’ll be able to control disease, sickness and physical maladies through the use of technology. That is a long time from now — thousands of years — but perhaps these four technologies are the start of that path to a future that will be free of illness…
Neurotrack
While it’s currently not available to the general public yet, Neurotrack is an Alzheimer’s screening test based on 30 years of research at Emory University. The technology lies in a computer-based visual recognition test that can detect early onset of the disease up to six years before more severe symptoms begin showing. The goal of the computer test is to recognize “perturbations” in the hippocampus that can lead to advanced treatment before physical maladies associated with the disease manifest.
GE Ultra-Fast CT Heart Scan
Unveiled earlier this year, GE’s new heart scan technology will revolutionize the way medical facilities diagnose heart-associated illnesses and issues. The CT scan can “capture a motion free image of the human heart in just one beat.” Over 60% of patients who need a scan are turned away, either because their heart rate is too fast, or because they are too young to hold their breath. This new GE tech will make it easier to see certain portions of the heart, allowing physicians to diagnose and treat problems that were almost impossible to confront with previous technologies.
Wearable Parkinson’s Monitors
Announced this past summer, the Michael J. Fox Foundation and Intel have partnered to begin development on three wearable prototypes that can monitor and diagnose the progression of a Parkinson’s sufferer’s disease. The devices, similar to smart watches, will help physicians and scientists understand the disease by recording up to 300 observations per second. Currently, the MJFF is accepting applications for testers, so if you or anyone you know is suffering from Parkinson’s, you can go to https://foxtrialfinder.michaeljfox.org for more information.
Wellframe
Getting treatment at a hospital or clinic may be all one person needs to get well. However, there are many people out there who need continued care, and constantly visiting a medical facility is costly both in time and money. Wellframe aims to bridge the gap between hospital care and home care, with its digital interface that acts as a coach for anyone that requires continued care at-home. There are to-do lists that include items like what to eat and when to take medications, and the ability to converse with your primary care doctor. The technology is available on both PCs and mobile devices.
These are just a few of the technologies that are going to help evolve the current state of medicine. With time will come more advanced methods of treating the afflictions that plague us. If you have any opinions on the medical advances that we’ll be seeing the next 10-15 years, please connect with us on Facebook and Twitter and let us know what you think.