After over 40 years of pioneering work in the Life Science industry, Ergonomidesign have put together their take on the future for the Health Care industry. The story comprises not only scenarios and a clear picture of the eco-system in which Life Science might exist (in 2015) – but the designers have gone as far as prototyping glimpses of how interaction might occur with doctors and other medical professionals and services. The future concept and prototype was developed by the Life Science team at Ergonomidesign including user experience and interaction designers, design strategists, graphic designers, developers and health care professionals. Their challenge was to envision the future of Life Science and develop possible solutions for the world to test, use and reflect on.
Personal medical devices will hold a central role in our vision for the future health care eco-system. Our designers created MiniMe – your future personal health monitor. Read more about MiniMe here >>
View the film and read the full story here:
The future of health care is a subject that has aroused intense speculation recently across different forums. Several interesting scenarios and points of view have been discussed. Professionals and designers alike have tried to make sense of a fuzzy future. Predicting possible futures for the health care industry is an ambitious task, fraught with great risk. There are far too many disparities in various global health care systems today that make it impossible to present one comprehensive solution that fits all. The industry is constantly affected by Government legislation, making their rate of development impossible to predict in isolation from external factors. Most importantly, health care is about us – ordinary people – for whom tailoring one universal solution is out of question.
Often the best way to predict the future is by attempting to design and build critical glimpses of it. Storytelling has usually been the most favored approach – usually giving rise to compelling and believable scenarios. The approach taken by Ergonomidesign was to bring in elements of prototyping at crucial moments in the scenario, in order to demonstrate key interactions actually taking place. Right or wrong is always subject to debate – a process of endless iteration. However they believe that the resolution of the idea when prototyped would help viewers to believe in the Future that is being shown.
Healthcare in an age of Ubiquitous Computing
The Integrated Health Care scenario – ‘Helping Hands’ is set in an urban context, sometime around the year 2015, when ubiquitous computing is truly ubiquitous. The scenario is set in a world where (a lot more) embedded sensors and microprocessors gather data in real-time about our lives. This data is stored as ‘actionable information’ in the Cloud (a metaphor often used to describe the future Internet). These sensors would exist in accessories we wear, similar to what Nike+ does today. This invisible matrix of computers worn, carried and embedded around us – will truly free us from the shackles of desktop computing. We will use mobile and ambient devices to access and manage data, anywhere at any time. Access to our personal and shared data is optional, and selectively granted by us for our mutual benefit.
In the age of ubiquitous computing, information truly is power. Cities are macro services in the making. Information is a universal currency that is exchanged for the greater benefit of all. Concepts of privacy have evolved and pushed boundaries far beyond what we could imagine now in 2009.‘Helping Hands’, Ergonomidesign’s scenario and software application about Integrated Health Care revolves around two personas – Bernhard and Hannah.
Bernhard is a 48 year old banker from New York. Like most others in his profession, his work involves stressful long days, countless meetings and a constant need to stay connected to his network. A few years ago he had little time to spare for managing his health. Bernhard’s reckless approach to life – excessive stress, little exercise and fast food had almost resulted in disaster for him some years ago. He developed acute Coronary Arterial Disease (CAD). Doctors warned him that if the condition was left untreated it would result in devastating consequences for him. Fearing a stroke or possible paralysis, over the past few years a concerned Bernhard had taken control of his health using the latest services and products. These are available to him by the Health Care Provider – ‘Global Heart Corp’, one of many providers offering health services and treatment in 2015.
By using the ‘CAD-Treatment Service’ Bernhard prevented his illness from slipping out of control.
What is a Medical Treatment Service?
In 2015, Health Care Providers (HCPs) are strategic, government-aided mergers of hospitals, pharmacies and professional medical networks, tasked with providing better care and health for citizens to use and subscribe to. Most HCPs have also merged with internet service providers (ISPs) allowing HCPs easier access to the benefits of the Cloud. The ‘CAD Treatment Service’ is a typical ‘medical-service’ in 2015. Bernhard’s doctors use his health stats to prescribe a custom-coded, custom-manufactured ‘CAD device’ which Bernhard purchases from a pharmacy nearby. Along with the product he buys, he also subscribes annually to the service to renew his contract.
The CAD service, out of the box, consists of a tiny elliptical device which feels soft and comfortable to the touch. Bernhard clips it to the inside of his clothing, so that it is in constant contact with his skin. The CAD device consists of the elliptical device with a customized software application for Bernhard’s CAD condition. The surface of the device comprises millions of nano-hairs which not only detect pH levels and other critical factors in his blood, but also dispense prescribed doses of medicine to Bernhard depending on his status, mood, stress levels etc.
Once worn, the nano- sensors in the CAD device perform periodic routine checks to monitor Bernhard’s vascular biometric data. The CAD app then synchronizes the custom software to his mobile devices automatically – giving him, his doctors and medical social networks (the ones he chooses) access to his vascular data through multiple kinds of computing devices.
Bernhard uses his device or embedded computers on smart surfaces to connect to GlobalHeart.com to renew his subscription for the CAD Treatment Service offered by the “Global Heart Corporation”. Bernhard’s CAD Treatment Service keeps him in constant reach of his detailed directory of doctors, fellow patients, medical prescriptions and other daily health care programs such as diet and exercise.
Over the past years of recovery, Bernhard has gained vital knowledge about heart conditions and he has developed valuable relationships with cardiac specialists like doctors, dietitians etc. This information turns out to be invaluable to an old acquaintance – Hannah.
Health, information and recovery at your fingertips
By the year 2015, desktop computers as we know them today will probably be relics of the past. Rapid advances in screen technology and the diminishing size of microprocessors will make it possible to invent new archetypes for the computer, coupled with new gestural and semantic languages. In an age of ubiquitous computing, our walls, tables and other elements in our environment will become platforms for us to interact on. This interaction will involve access and manipulation of information, exchange and generation of data, most importantly; these interactions will involve people connecting with people on an information superhighway in the most serendipitous ways. The simple act of placing your hand on a table would trigger the most enlightening experiences, if called upon to do so.
We are now zooming in on one such serendipitous interaction at a dinner at Bernhard’s place with an old acquaintance, Hannah, as one of the guests. Hannah is a 51 year old journalist living in Paris. She has a demanding position at her company which involves a relentless amount of travel including long hours of sitting still and rich, fatty food. Hannah has always thought of herself as a healthy person; she loves going for long walks at the weekend and she enjoys making delicious dinners for her family and friends.
To stay healthy despite her stressful life, she takes care of herself by using a “General Health” (GH) Service that she has bought from the “Integrated Health Care Store”. Much like the CAD Treatment Service, the GH Service monitors Hannah’s basic biometric data - pulse, oxygen levels, tidal breath and blood pressure. The service helps to guide her toward a healthier lifestyle in terms of food habits, nutritional advice, a personal training service, advice on vitamins etc. In recent months Hannah sensed that something might be wrong with her. She has been constantly fatigued, short of breath and has felt frequent palpitations.
One evening Hannah meets Bernhard at his dinner party in New York. Over casual post-dinner conversation, Hannah and Bernhard decide to connect and compare biometric data on Bernhard’s smart table. Their connection is spontaneous and effortless. It is initiated by the reading that the smart-surface at Bernhard’s home gets of both their biometric data by simply placing the palm on the surface. Digging deeper into the connection interface, Hannah discovers that the biometric data generated by her body, especially her blood, match those of Bernhard’s from 5 years ago when he was diagnosed with a CAD-problem. She is alarmed at first, as she realizes that her worst fears are coming true
