Medical research is one of the most innovative and rapidly expanding industries. Researchers are highly motivated by the desire to improve medical care and offer support to those who truly need it.
Medicine and technology have always co-existed, it’s only through mankind’s ingeniousness that we have been able to constantly develop and design new ways to prevent and treat diseases, conditions, and injuries. There are new technologies coming out all the time, each with the promise to help us live longer, healthier lives. Let’s take a look at some.
Next Generation DNA Sequencing
Next generation sequencing, commonly shortened to NGS, is a new and sophisticated method that scientists can use to decode and understand DNA, which is the name given to the molecules that make up us and every other living thing on the planet.
While DNA sequencing has been around in some form for several decades, the Sanger sequencing method has been used since the 1970s, modern developments have significantly improved the speed, accuracy, and scalability of the process.
Entire genomes can now be sequenced at once, giving scientists an unprecedented look into our evolutionary past, and allowing them to develop new and effective genetic disorder prediction and preventative measures.
3D Printing
The process of 3D printing is a type of additive manufacturing. It involves creating a physical, three-dimensional object using data from a digital file. While this has obvious uses in manufacturing and design industries, it also has some incredible benefits for the medical field.
Things like medical implants and prosthetics can be 3D printed, with the technology allowing for far greater accuracy and personalisation when designing these objects. There is also the potential for the 3D printing of organic materials, such as organs, blood vessels, and even bones.
Wearable Health Technology
The rise of wearable health tech and sensors has worked to offer patients more independence and responsibility when it comes to looking after their own health.
One of the most well-known examples of wearable health tech is glucose monitoring systems for people with diabetes. This has proved revolutionary and has helped diabetes sufferers reduce some of the inconvenience that comes with the disease. These systems constantly track glucose levels in the body and will send alerts if they are too high or too low.
AR & VR
Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are forms of advanced audio-visual technology that can superimpose images and graphics onto the real world, in the case of AR, or offer a completely immersive virtual world, in the case of VR.
Originally conceived for video games and entertainment, the medical field has began to use AR and VR technology for educational purposes. Virtual representations of patients can be used to effectively train doctors and surgeons, giving them crucial experience before they treat patients for real.
Conclusion
The progress of medical care is reliant on technology. Science is the best method we have for improving the lives of people living with disease and preventing conditions from developing in future generations.
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