Some health executives predict that
gadgets we’ll have by 2020 will enable real-time diagnostics for cancer, the immune
system, intestinal flora, and conditions like pre-diabetes. Such gadgets, which
may come in the form of wearable devices or patches, could make health
care preventive rather than reactive. Such technology is already on
its way. As Alistair Barr and Ron Winslow reported for Wall Street Journal
in 2014, Google had begun developing tiny magnetic particles that could search the body for
biomarkers that indicate the presence of cancer and other diseases.
These nanoparticles would bind to
cells, proteins, and other molecules inside the body, and would be counted by a
wearable device equipped with a magnet.
The particles could be delivered via a pill, and would make it easier to
detect cancer or predict an imminent heart attack. Technological advancements
have lead to the miniaturization of monitoring devices and power sources,
opening up a whole new world of possibilities and innovations. And the
powerful, portable computers we continue to refer to as “cell phones” now weigh
so little and can do so much real-time monitoring has now become viable for an
array of applications.
Wearable
and implantable technologies sense parameters of various diseases and can
either transfer data to a remote center, direct the patient to take a specific
action, or automatically perform a function based on what the sensors are
reading. For example, if blood glucose is running high, insulin could be automatically
administered.
