Technology in healthcare and recovery

Home doctor? Smartphone According to BBC Future's early 2013 forecast, this year physicians will begin prescribing mobile medical apps in addition to medicines (1). This could be, for example, the Scanadu Scout, a combination biomedical analysis device that works with a smartphone or laptop.

The doctor gadget measures blood pressure, pulse, can be used as a simple ECG device, as well as perform simple urine and saliva tests. The device resembles a small power supply or a portable disk, it is equipped with an infrared sensor, i.e. a thermometer, a photoplethysmograph, a scanner for measuring blood microcirculation, which, together with a heart rate monitor, also performs the function of measuring pressure or even an ECG. The equipment includes a set of sensors attached to the index finger and thumb. The advanced version of the Scanadu Scout also includes a laser micrometer that allows you to read simple tests such as blood.

The Scanadu Home Doctor Kit transmits test results from all measuring devices via a Bluetooth transmitter to an iOS and Android smartphone or a laptop with analysis software installed, collecting data and processing it “in the cloud”, helping and providing contacts to medical specialists. The application can also inform you about the number of similar symptoms in an area, assuming, for example, that a local epidemic has occurred. The user sees information about the pulse, pressure and temperature after 10 seconds on the smartphone display or on the computer screen.

According to Dr. Alan Grenn, who is in charge of the medical aspects of the project, Scout is able to detect bacteria or blood in saliva and urine, and in the case of a urine test, also protein and sugar, and oxalate crystals.

Bionics or who didn't go? walk, who has not seen? sees

We may be seeing a breakthrough in helping people immobilized by partial paralysis. Bionic prostheses? this is the name of computerized devices, rehabilitation devices, they actively help the disabled person to move, stand, walk and even climb stairs.

You will find the continuation of this article in the March issue of the magazine