Smart Phones Medical, Telemedicine/AI

[Arthur Hanson]

Smart phones will become the core of an ever increasing suite of medical functions directly and with an increasing number of low cost accessories. Already they can be used to detect skin cancer, concussions, heart conditions(EKG accessory), alcohol levels, heart rate, and an ever increasing range of functions. This suite of functions is increasing at a dramatic rate and with a body monitor scale(body fat, bone mass, water weight, etc.) and blood test accessory may soon do away with having to visit a doctor for a physical. We will soon see a rise in telemedicine where increasingly we don't see a doctor and many times we just hook into an AI program that in many cases will be superior to any human doctor(this capability is already here for skin cancer). The massive amount of data generated will also allow for AI/ML to advance medical research at a staggering rate, improving life for everyone. This should open up large opportunities not just in semis/mems/sensors, but the infrastructure to support a whole new structure to the current outdated, obsolete, low quality medical structure, especially in the US where we rank 37th in quality at extremely high cost. This will be a world wide trend that offers the semi/nanotech and software industries a major fast growing market. It will also break down borders as a barrier, opening US medical to competition for the first time, unless US medical buys off the government again. The US has to make a choice in this areas as borders break down, does it want to be a leader or follower?
With medical technology and its application becoming an ever larger part of the world economy, the tech sector will have to make a stand in this highly political area in the US or cede leadership to others. This is definitely one of the largest opportunities for the mobile sector in both economics and benefits.

Smartphone app scans pupils to detect concussions