Introduction
Technology has advanced exponentially in the past 30 years. With recent development in information accessibility, 3D printing and Improved the lives of numerous people who would once have been excluded?
Apps/websites
Apps and websites have revolutionised the way we gather and use information. They provide more functionality and information without being expensive, are accessible virtually anywhere at any time and take up minimal space on your devices.
NHS website
NHS, “UK’s biggest health website with more than 50 million visits every month” [1], is a government service that provides trustworthy information about nearly anything health related. In the past few years NHS has used its resources and content to develop apps and services that help guide and overcome challenges like obesity, depression and anxiety.
There is also a dedicated section on NHS website providing information about approved apps and services. Although NHS does not develop these apps internally, they do make sure the information presented is trustworthy and accurate.
Apps and websites have provided a platform for easy access to information in a convenient and efficient manner.
Cloud
Cloud could be one of the most important changes in the healthcare system. It provides convenient and on demand access to virtually unlimited computing power and data storage/management.
NHS has provided guidelines and information about moving patient’s information to the cloud, along with the benefits and risks. Updating, maintenance and security are some of the most beneficial parts of migration to the cloud services. Utilisation of cloud ensures that patient data is regularly backed up and safe from unauthorised access [2]. This is evident with the recent WannaCry cyber-attack which cost NHS £92m, although no data was stolen 19 thousand appointments were cancelled [3].
Cloud services also provide a great opportunity for other sectors of healthcare rather than just information storage, such as high computing power and AI solutions. These technologies help run simulations of disease research and data analysis and pattern recognition in cancer diagnosis that can save millions of lives.
Hardware
3D Printing / Bioprinting
3D printing has already changed the landscape of many industries and health care is no exception. It has brought ground-breaking changes in many categories of the medical field such as Bioprinting, prosthetics, medical instruments and drug printing [4].
Bioprinting is one of the most exciting advancements of technology in healthcare since it aims to reduce the cost and scarcity of organ supply in the donor market. Scientists have used this technology to create the world’s first fully cellular 3D bioprinted liver in 2013 [4] [5]. Although 3D printed tissues might not be ready for transplant in a human body, they have proven to be useful in other fields such as drug testing and discovery [6].
Virtual Reality (VR) and Other video game controllers
Virtual Reality might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about technology in healthcare. However, due to the nature of controls in VR that mostly revolves around physical movement of arms and body, it has shown great results in promoting physical activities amongst older adults. Positive effects such as strength, balance, mobility and flexibility have been greatly improved as well as quality of life due to improved socialisation reported in 8 empirical studies.
"Flow: an experience that is so gratifying that people are willing to do it for its own sake or with little concern for what they will get out of it, even when it is difficult. An important precursor to a flow experience is a balance between the persons’ skills and the challenges associated with the task or activity. If the task is too easy or too difficult, flow cannot occur" [7]. Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly (1991)
Video games are a highly stimulating and engaging form of media that also improves Visuospatial skills [8]. On the other hand, physical activities are considered hard and a large portion of the population does not achieve suggested daily activity. Combining video games with physical activities has the potential to create flow. According to Csikszentmihalyi, when flow occurs users could do considerable amounts of exercise not solely because they want to but because they enjoy the activities presented to them [7].
There have also been studies that show consistent positive results in areas such as hand-eye coordination, reaction time and fitness levels after playing exergames. Some participants showed higher willingness to adopt a healthier lifestyle as result of this study [9].
Xbox Adaptive Controller
In September 2018, Microsoft released the Xbox Adaptive Controller which is not shaped like a traditional video game controller to be held by two hands.
In the past non-profit organisations would develop their own bespoke devices to allow people to have access to these games. These controllers would often cost hundreds of dollars to be made, however the Xbox Adaptive Controller costs as little as 99$. It also enables people with no knowledge about engineering to customise the controller to their needs [10].
In conclusion, we have come a long way since the internet was first introduced to the public, and technology grew rapidly. We might not have been ready for the internet, computers or smartphones and they might have negatively impacted us. However, they have also pushed us to new heights to provide the best services, medical attention and inclusion to an extent that was not possible before.
References
[1] NHS, "About the NHS website - NHS," NHS, 18 February 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.nhs.uk/about-us/about-the-nhs-website/. [Accessed 01 March 2020].
[2] NHS, "NHS Digital publishes guidance on data off-shoring and cloud computing for health and social care," 19 January 2018. [Online]. Available: https://digital.nhs.uk/news-and-events/latest-news/nhs-digital-publishes-guidance-on-data-off-shoring-and-cloud-computing-for-health-and-social-care. [Accessed 01 March 2020].
[3] M. Field, "WannaCry cyber attack cost the NHS £92m as 19,000 appointments cancelled," The Telegraph, 11 October 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2018/10/11/wannacry-cyber-attack-cost-nhs-92m-19000-appointments-cancelled/. [Accessed 01 March 2020].
[4] H. Dodziuk, "Applications of 3D printing in healthcare," Kardiochirurgia I Torakochirurgia Polska = Polish Journal of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 283-293, 2016.
[5] E. J. Hurst, "3D Printing in Healthcare: Emerging Applications," Journal of Hospital Librarianship, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 255-267, 2016.
[6] H. Kizawa, E. Nagao, M. Shimamura, G. Zhang and H. Torii, "Scaffold-free 3D bio-printed human liver tissue stably maintains metabolic functions useful for drug discovery," Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports, vol. 10, no. C, pp. 186-191, 2017.
[7] M. Csikszentmihalyi, Flow : The Psychology of Optimal Experience, New York: HarperPerennial, 1991.
[8] M. Palaus, E. M. Marron, R. Viejo-Sobera1 and 2. D. Redolar-Ripoll, "Neural Basis of Video Gaming: A Systematic Review," Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, vol. 11, p. 248, 2017.
[9] N. Vernadakis, A. Gioftsidou, P. Asimenia , D. Ioannidis and M. Giannousi, "The impact of Nintendo Wii to physical education students' balance compared to the traditional approaches," Computers & Education, vol. 59, no. 2, pp. 196-205, 2012.
[10] E. Blumenthal , "Microsoft's Xbox Adaptive Controller aims to help gamers with disabilities," USA TODAY, 16 December 2019. [Online]. Available: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2018/05/16/microsoft-xbox-adaptive-controller/618046002/. [Accessed 01 March 2020].
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