Rise of the Medical Machines

Did you miss the news cycle of the last 24 hours? Don’t worry—SkyNet did not achieve self-awareness. What you did miss were three impressive announcements that will likely have positive ramifications for healthcare, biotech, and patients for years to come. These ramifications will also change how the sales training of the future looks. Here are the three you may have missed:

1. iRobot and InTouch Healthcare’s RP-VITA

The Remote Presence Virtual + Independent Telemedicine Assistant (hence the RP-VITA) just received approval by the FDA. The robot is easy to navigate and can allow doctors to assist patients in remote areas as well make doctors with very specific knowledge available to a wider population instantly.

2. Dr. Eric Topol’s Interview on Rock Center Last Night

Dr. Topol sees a wireless future where smartphone apps are prescribed just as much, or more than pills and each person has the ability to monitor their own unique physiology. During the interview, he demos an iPhone cardiogram app that displays an instant ECG, a wireless glucose measurement app, and a device called the Visi Mobile Wrist Monitor that can monitor everything a fully-equipped intensive care room currently can.

The doctor also sees a time when full-body surveillance may be the norm. Imagine having an implant that monitors your blood and alerts you of an impending heart attack before it happens. Click here to see the interview.

3. Resistance is Futile: IBM is using material from semiconductors to kill superbugs.

OK. I know a gel is not a robot, but the same principles are there. Apparently, this polymer, if successful, has the ability to selectively target superbugs. The truly exciting part is that the gel could potentially stop the bugs from becoming super in the first place. The bugs simply cannot adapt to the gel, unlike their recent successes against their antibiotic-based foes. (Image credit: Skynews)

The last 24 hours have certainly been impressive. For us in the training space, it opens up a new age of challenges and opportunities. What do you think they will be? Comment below.

I leave you with a line from what may be the most famous/infamous robot in the world: Hal 9000 from 2001 a Space Odyssey.

HAL: “Look Dave, I can see you’re really upset about this. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill, and think things over.”