1. An explanation of how technology
is helping medical advancement
By: Chantal Lush

2. As technology advances, and humanity
continues to be plagued by medical
ailments it can be guaranteed that
technology will be used to save the minds
and bodies of the human race.

3. Technologies that have led to saving or improving
the mind.
 Ted Berger’s Brain Implant- which is expected to help improve the
memory abilities of people who are suffering from brain injury or
Alzheimer's disease
 William Walter’s EEG machine- which records electrical activity
along the scalp, it helps in the detection of epilepsy, coma or brain
death
 Raymond Damadian’s MRI- This technology serves the same
purpose as X-rays but does it more efficiently, and without the use of
ionizing radiation.

4. This brain implant is new this year and is expected
to:
 Mimic the brains normal function of exchanging short term
memory to long term
 Create the capacity to generate memories
 Make life easier for people suffering from the effects of stroke,
Alzheimer's disease, or traumatic brain injury
“It’s a bio-medical replacement of brain parts.”
– Ted Berger

5. http://youtu.be/kJsfQTcBhAM?t=55s
Ted Berger briefly explaining this new technology and
the probabilities and issues surrounding it.
This video is relatively long, it starts at 0:55, feel free to stop
watching around 5:00, this is the end of the most relevant
information.

6. Quality of living for many people will be
much better
Greater understanding of the brain
Possibilities that will present with helping
other diseases affecting the brain

7. Human experimenting- where is the line
drawn?
The possibility that the science is not as
developed as needed
Mind control- will this technology
eventually be used to change memories
and make people do things they do not
want to

8. Here are some technologies that have led to
improved body function and helped save lives.
 Rume Elmqvist’s Pace Maker-a device that contracts heart muscles
by using electrical impulses
 Samuel Alderson’s Powered Prosthesis- which converts muscle
movement into electrical signals which are coded to perform certain
tasks
 Dean Kamen’s Insulin Pump- used to measure and regulate insulin
levels

9. The implantable pacemaker invented by Rune Elmqvist
was first introduced in 1958 and accomplished many
things.
 Fully implantable in the chest and is rechargable
 Uses electrical impulses to regulate the hearts beating pattern
 Revolutionized the previous pacemaker which was located
outside of the body
I think there must be around 5 million people today with cardiac
pacemakers fitted, and it has become a major industry.”
–Hakan Elmqvist (Rune’s Son)

10. Here is a short video explaining the heart and
how a pacemaker helps.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMXBR_YFocs

11. Quality of life for people with irregular heart
beat has drastically changed
Money saved from surgeries that are no
longer needed
Lower mortality related to irregular
heartbeat

12. First patient with pacemaker had 30
different devices fitted throughout his life
The original version had to be recharged
each week with radio energy
The cost of a pacemaker can reach over
20, 000 dollars according to
HealthcareBlueBook.com

13. This technology has derived from the invention
of the computer. Medical establishments have
recently adopted the concept of changing
from keeping records in paper form to
converting to an electronic medical database.
This database combines patient information
and allows better communication between a
single person’s medical professional team.

14. This video quickly explains the purpose and some
of the benefits of electronic medical records
(EMR).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDWsXkC3YcI

15.  Less medication mistakes- easier for pharmacist
to read, no chance for patient to change
prescription, easier to detect medications that
have adverse reactions
 Easier for medical professionals to communicate
 Doctors can ensure patients are following
through with referrals and check on test results

16.  Possibility of privacy breach is extremely
high- someone hacking the system, loss of a
personal device containing personal health
information
 Extremely expensive to implement, learn to
use, and maintain

17. Overall it is evident that technology over time is
leading to the saving of lives through the major
advancements it continually makes in the medical
world. Whether it is a device that helps to improve
quality of living or is helping to create a better more
thorough health system for individuals seeking care.
The trend that occurs in medical technology is that
although new technologies often help to improve and
save lives, they are often considered to be ethically
questionable and very expensive which make them
difficult to pass on to the world.

18. Cohen, J. (2013, April 23). Brain Implants Could Help Alzheimer’s and Others with
Severe Memory Damage | MIT Technology Review. MIT Technology Review.
Retrieved August 6, 2013, from
http://www.technologyreview.com/featuredstory/513681/memory-implants/
Dr. Theodore Berger - Piecemeal repair and replacement of brain parts is coming. (2013,
February 14). YouTube. Retrieved August 7, 2013, from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJsfQTcBhAM
Electronic Medical Records (EMR). (n.d.). Health - Province of British Columbia.
Retrieved August 7, 2013, from http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/ehealth/emr.html
New Electronic Medical Records. (2012, December 22). YouTube. Retrieved August 7,
2013, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDWsXkC3YcI
Nicholls, M. (2007). Pioneers of Cardiology: Rune Elmqvist MD. Circulation: Journal of
the American Heart Association, 109. Retrieved August 6, 2013, from
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/115/22/f109
Pacemaker Insertion Pricing. (n.d.). Healthcare Blue Book. Retrieved August 6, 2013,
from http://www.healthcarebluebook.com/page_Results.aspx?id=34&dataset=hosp
Pacemakers and the Human Heart . (2010, April 21). YouTube. Retrieved August 7,
2013, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMXBR_YFocs