Printed bandaids will pump meds and keep tabs on your health
Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) foresees a future in which printed tech could improve healthcare
Imagine this scenario: instead of IV drips, you could just stick on a patch to have meds delivered into your system. That’s the kind of future Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) envisions.
Printed tech is something that PARC’s team is working on right now, with small smart patches that will work to both monitor health parameters and deliver medications. It would help in monitoring patients, along with treatment and diagnostics, and definitely be a more comfortable option for patients. The less needles the better, we say.
Smart medicine for everyone
Certain groups, like diabetics, could especially benefit from the tech. Usually diabetics have to monitor blood sugar, pricking their fingers regularly to find out their current levels. With the patches, insulin could be pumped in as needed depending on the patient’s current state.
Additionally, some patients would no longer need to suffer through long observation stays at hospitals, as doctors could monitor readings even after a patient has been discharged – keeping an eye on heart rate and ECG readings from afar.
Pharmacies might also see benefits from such tech, as they could print these patches and hand them to patients with minimum fuss. No installations or wires: just slap them on, with the required doses already implanted and released at proper intervals.
Modern bandaids that ease hospital stays and alert doctors to possible warning signs? Sign us up for the future.
[Source: PSFK]
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Erna Mahyuni
Contributor 
