Under My Skin - VoIP-based Wrist Strap
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In October another device was designed and developed at the University of Alberta which can monitor vital signs such as the heart rate and transmit them through a phone over the Internet using VoIP. This device is not implanted (yet). It is a simple strap which transmits the data to a wireless station, and from there to a phone. Nokia is already talking about incorporating this kind of technology into its phones with its Wibree technology. This would enable devices such as the wrist strap and the mobile phone to communicate with each other with minimal power requirements.
The Wireless Wearable Physiological Monitor (WWPM) is a simple gadget based on cutting edge sensor technology. The developers believe that it will be successful because it is simple, and because its design is based on wrist straps, which are a familiar accessory. It will be practical for people with health problems which could deteriorate at any time. Instead of staying indoors or limiting their travel due to fear of some calamity befalling them, by using the wrist straps they can travel for long distances and enjoy vacations while their doctors can periodically check on them over the Internet. It is also good for use by elderly patients; with a wrist strap to allow the doctor to monitor their vital signs, it can decrease the number of office visits they need to make.
Apart from doctors checking up on their patients, the wrist bands can prompt users to use medication. The WWPM was designed by the University of Alberta's Computer Sciences and Electrical Engineering department, Japan's Sapporo Medical University, and Capital Health.
Is it Worth It?
After all the details have been exhausted, a personal decision to have bio implants will probably be based on one's "gut feeling" rather than a long reasoning process that examines all the data and the pros and cons. While the volunteer mentioned earlier felt it was cool to him, Dr. Kerr's reaction is that "It's not that I have any particular prescriptions, but what I want to do here is say let's not rush into this without recognizing the broad range of issues."
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