THE IMPACTS OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES ON THE FUTURE OF HEALTH & MEDICINE

THE IMPACTS OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES ON
THE FUTURE OF HEALTH & MEDICINE
Future Scenarios by Harish “The Singapore Futurist” Shah
SEPTEMBER 16, 2017
© Stratserv Consultancy
20 MAXWELL ROAD #09-17 SINGAPORE 069113

THE IMPACTS OF EMERGING
TECHNOLOGIES ON THE FUTURE OF
HEALTH & MEDICINE
Page 1 of 12
CONTENTS
1. Purpose 2
2. Technological Consideration: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 3
3. Technological Consideration: Brain Computer Interface (BCI) 4
4. Technological Consideration: Internet of Things (IoT) 5
5. Technological Consideration: Robotics 6
6. Principle of Convergence 7
7. Wearables, IoT & Telemedicine 7
8. Future Scenario 1: Prognosis Monitoring & Tracking 8
9. Future Scenario 2: Home-Based Patient Care 9
10. Future Scenario 3: Prosthetics 9
11. Future Scenario 4: Outbreaks 10
12. Future Scenario 5: Disaster Situations 10
13. Future Scenario 6: Pharmacy & Drugs 11
14. End Note 12
15. About Stratserv Consultancy & Contact Information 12

HEALTH & MEDICINE
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1. PURPOSE
1.1 This document presents possible and probable Future Scenario of Health & Medicine realities
resulting from the impacts of emerging technologies, particularly through their likely
convergences, as can be foreseen at the time of its dissemination.
1.2 This document is expected to primarily be of interest to executives from the following sectors or
industries in their broad definitions:
 Ambulatory Services
 Hospital Management
 Medical Devices
 Medical Practice
 Pharmaceuticals
 Other Miscellaneous Health and Patient Related Services/Products
1.3 This document has been prepared for pro bono dissemination by Stratserv Consultancy’s Harish
“The Singapore Futurist” Shah to facilitate forward thinking, for executives and organisations, so
that they may capitalise on foreseeable opportunities while working to mitigate possible threats
that can anticipated, from the change or transformation that the impacts of technological
developments may or will likely result in.
1.4 Herein this document, key areas of technological developments are identified, highlighted and
addressed, that are likely to be of the most significant impact on the foreseeable future.
1.5 The intended focus herein this document is on the outcomes of emerging technologies
eventually being commonly embraced, upon the manifestation of their intended capacities or
purposes and then converging for synergies.
1.6 This document presents a possible future scenario from a generic Macro view that is non-
technical in nature, to best offer a meaningful illustration of the anticipated results of currently
ongoing efforts in developing new technologies of key interest and potential for “game
changing” impacts, to a broad community of executives.

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2. TECHNOLOGICAL CONSIDERATION: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)
2.1 Definition - Artificial Intelligence or AI for short is the programmatic enabling of technology
whether in physical form, virtual form or in a combined form of both physical and virtual, to
mimic human behaviours, whether physical or cognitive, in response to situations and/or
requirements, to automatically perform or execute tasks, with autonomy, that would otherwise
require human intervention, attention, cognition and effort that is either mental, verbal or
physical.
2.2 Possibility - Anything that is routine, repetitive, replicative, imitative, can be charted or listed,
and therefore programmed as a pre-set, for the purpose of automation. Anything that is
sequential, patterned or quantitative/statistical in nature can thus be automated. This implies
that linear, standard, systematic or defined processes can be performed without human
attention or intervention, when the automation is autonomous.
2.3 Implication - Comparatively to automation historically, AI offers scope for automation that is
dynamic, because of the element of autonomy. A single machine, software or system can
perform a multitude or broad variety of tasks and functions, even simultaneously so, without
need for human effort or presence, with work being performed either as effectively and
efficiently, or more so, with greater speed of processing that technology allows for. Also,
anything that can be automated can therefore be performed autonomously, removing need for
human intervention.
2.4 Limitation - Non-linear, non-quantitative and non-routine tasks or functions are more difficult to
define, document and set parameters upon, therefore these form limits to programming,
therefore which also, automation. If something cannot be automated, it cannot be rendered
autonomous with AI. In such areas AI is irrelevant. Qualitative tasks and functions of cognition or
physical response therefore, remain a human prerogative.
2.5 Application - Examples of the broad areas for future application of AI in Healthcare and
Medicine include research, analysis, diagnostics, patient monitoring, triage, documentation and
information management.
2.6 Key Benefits - With a rising global population, greater longevity and ageing population issues
across many geographies, AI can help technology better complement human labour in providing
health & medical care, the necessity for which can be anticipated to increase continuously for a
prolonged period ahead. Technology also brings expedience to work processes, and therefore

HEALTH & MEDICINE
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with autonomy rather than just automation, AI applications would benefit providers by
expediting processes of intervention that could save lives, especially in times of outbreaks of
new diseases, pandemics, disasters and emergencies. Long standing challenges in research to
develop cures or treatments or drugs for currently incurable diseases, may better be addressed
with the aid of AI enabled processing systems.
3. TECHNOLOGICAL CONSIDERATION: BRAIN COMPUTER INTERFACE (BCI)
3.1 Definition - Brain Computer Interface or BCI for short is the mode of human-technological
interaction or the mode of input that is thought-based rather than voice-based or touch-based,
therefore bypassing the keyboard, the mouse, the touchscreen or microphone, to operate a
software application, a device, a machine or a system. It allows a user to directly instruct,
communicate or interact with technology with thought, through brain signals or brainwaves.
3.2 Possibility - BCI technology has already successfully been tested for intercontinental brain-to-
brain communication, which has created the possibility to redefine telecommunication. It also
stands to render redundant the need for non-tech persons to learn how to use technology or
applications, as simply by thought, they can instruct technology to perform tasks or functions
they want to see performed. This in turn is expected to make all technology easy to adapt to and
embrace, for any and every individual. At its optimum, BCI can be anticipated to allow persons
to communicate, relay or share their live visual and auditory experiences.
3.3 Implication - BCI is likely to disrupt all current or historical modes of input or interface with
technology, to become the primary interface option for use of technology, where the more
historical alternatives of keys, buttons and touchscreens may persist or survive as back-up
options in event that BCI malfunctions or fails.
3.4 Limitation - No limitation relevant to the purpose of this document, is currently known or
anticipated, pertaining to BCI technology.
3.5 Application - BCI is already being used at present in prosthetics which allow the handicapped or
amputee users to control their movements and functions with thoughts, though this is rare, with
present costs being the main reason for rarity. Other current uses include control of exoskeleton
suits and wheelchairs.

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3.6 Key Benefits - BCI promises to help mitigate issues of handicap and mobility in patients as well
as speech impairment or barriers, when communication is necessary between patient and
provider, in different circumstances.
4. TECHNOLOGICAL CONSIDERATION: INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT)
4.1 Definition - Internet of Things or IoT for short is the inter-networking of physical objects, from
handheld personal devices, wearable objects from apparel to footwear, household or office
appliances, machines, vehicles, buildings along with their internal installations and more, to
allow for the ubiquitous flow as well as coordination of information, to support integration,
efficiency, automation and autonomy.
4.2 Possibility - Anything, as a first step, that a battery can be placed into or that can be connected
to a power source to be powered by electricity, can also be fitted with a processor to process
information, and it can be internet enabled, to relay, receive, transfer or transact information.
The next step, is where items that traditionally have not depended on electricity, can now be
powered by electricity, and net enabled, with a processor, to relay, receive, transfer or transact
information, such as walls, table, chairs, shoes, clothing, water bottles and so on. Both these
steps have already been achieved, even if in R&D stages. This digitization and connection, can
enable all sorts of objects, to serve meaningful purposes, to ubiquitously serve human needs
through the exchange and coordination of information.
4.3 Implication - With IoT the internet is no longer limited to cyber services but also physical
services, where integrated objects that are coordinated through connectivity, can guide each
other for ubiquitous and autonomous operations, bringing about the possibility of driverless cars
and other vehicles for example, that run efficiently without crashing into each other. Other
examples are that of robots being guided by objects all around them, to mimic human-like
behaviour and accuracy in executing tasks that have traditionally been either labour intensive or
downright human prerogatives. On the whole, IoT ensures that environments from workstations
to offices to homes to buildings to cities and to even nations, can function or operate in a
“SMART” manner.
4.4 Limitation - At the time when this document is being drafted, IoT remains largely in its
conceptual stage, even if to some limited extent, its manifestations in real world have been
deployed and utilised. Yet, a major limitation that can be identified, is that for IoT to serve its
optimal potential in any context, a large number of different objects need to be powered, to be

HEALTH & MEDICINE
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able to receive, store, process and relay information. It is therefore dependent on energy, the
sources of which therefore must be efficient, readily available, sustainable, practical and low
cost. For the best possible employment of IoT ahead, energy, to power all the different objects
which will need to serve as purposeful parts of larger networked systems than themselves, will
either have to be free, or at nominal insignificant cost.
4.5 Application - It is difficult to set definitions, parameters or limitations on the list of possible
applications of IoT in Health and Medicine. From SMART wards and operating theatres to
SMART hospitals, to even SMART cities that overall enhance the effectiveness of Health and
Medical care beyond the reach of professionals in the fields. The fundamental application of IoT
however, will be to support the effective utilisation of other technologies in integration and
convergence, through ubiquitous coordination, so that anything from tracking of patient
parameters in daily life at home to the functioning of surgical robots functioning is rendered
possible. The most important outcome of IoT’s manifestation, will be the enhancement of
telemedicine.
4.6 Key Benefits - With the level of integration that IoT promises to bring about, health and
medicine, both in reach as well as service, can be customised for every member of society, down
to the individual. In other words, IoT can truly personalise health and medical services for each
individual, addressing specific needs, without unrealistic demands on human labour to do so. It
also offers an unprecedented degree of access to information to providers, available through
multiple touch points surrounding each individual, apart from increasing the remote reach of
medical professionals to patients.
5. TECHNOLOGICAL CONSIDERATION: ROBOTICS
5.1 Definition - Robotics is traditionally the use of machines, and now also software applications
such as Chatbots, to substitute human effort, to execute tasks or produce a desired output.
5.2 Possibility - With rapid advancements in AI and IoT, robotics is also seeing rapid advancement as
a direct result. Robots are becoming increasingly more autonomous and capable of multiple
functions to operate “intelligently” to serve human needs. Robots are expected to widely
replace human labour in the first world at least where higher qualitative application of the
intellect is not required, within the natural lifespan of the millennial generation.

HEALTH & MEDICINE
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5.3 Implication - As the possibilities of autonomous robots increase with the enablement through AI
and IoT, health and medicine may also see reliance on robots for execution of tasks.
5.4 Limitation - The possibilities of robotics are limited to the extent of AI. Robotics can be used to
take over the quantifiable and definitive tasks of humans, but they cannot substitute human
labour where non-linear and non-quantitative cognitive efforts or intervention are required.
Robots therefore, cannot replace Doctors altogether, for example.
5.5 Application – Robots can be deployed or utilised for a wide variety of functions, including but
not limited to, sorting & dispensing of drugs/medication, movement of inventory, patient care,
assistance in surgery
5.6 Key Benefits - In the foreseeable future, where the health and medicine sectors are likely to be
overwhelmed by changing societal needs and shortage of human labour with appropriate
expertise, robots can be relied upon to free up human workers to focus on more intelligent and
important tasks by relieving them of mundane, routine, repetitive and tedious tasks.
6. PRINCIPLE OF CONVERGENCE
Technological developments or their impacts do not occur in silos. They occur in concurrence with other
developments, whether technologically or otherwise. At some point therefore, their effects or
possibilities converge to bring about an interdependence or cross-impacts. It is necessary to
acknowledge this principle because none of the technological considerations identified herein this
document, as can be seen in their possibilities and implications, will bring about standalone impacts. If
they are not interdependent on or convergent with each other, than with other technological
considerations not mentioned herein, both present and future.
7. WEARABLES, IOT & TELEMEDICINE
The most important convergence that we need to acknowledge and appreciate when attempting to
foresee the impacts of emerging technology upon health and medicine, is that of wearable devices or
technologies with IoT, to enhance remote medicine or remote medical activity otherwise known as
telemedicine. This convergence see the interconnectedness of wearable devices, with a myriad of other
devices via the IoT.

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The wearable devices in question can collect data via both active and passive inputs. It is the passive
element that is more important for the purpose of telemedicine, where sensors, monitoring features
and various other diagnostic features can be inbuilt into the wearable devices.
Examples of wearable devices include the Smart Watch, HMDs, Smart Clothing and Smart Shoes
amongst others.
The expansion of the reach of telemedicine via IoT, will be a central feature of the future of health and
medicine, as will be illustrated in the subsequent scenarios presented herein.
8. FUTURE SCENARIO 1: PROGNOSIS MONITORING & TRACKING
Alfred is out shopping with his family. As he moves about there are changes happening inside his body
of which he is yet unaware. His parameters are changing. He does not feel them. Devices on his wrist
and within his clothing are picking up, analysing and transmitting those changes though. In the internet
cloud somewhere these changes are analysed against his medical history, pre-existing conditions and
predispositions.
A possibility of oncoming heart attack or stroke surfaces and the nearest hospital is automatically
alerted. The nearest driverless ambulance is despatched. Other autonomous vehicles along the route
clear the path for the ambulance.
Alfred and his family members are alerted on their personal devices that he requires medical attention,
and they are advised that he should stay where he is. He is escorted by ambulatory robots into the
driverless ambulance and driven to the nearest hospital for intervention.
As Alfred is on his way to the hospital, Doctors are being updated on his condition and needs. By the
time Alfred arrives at the hospital, he has undergone automatic detailed scans inside the ambulance
that are transmitted live to the Doctors, who are able to determine a course of action.
The Doctors manage to save Alfred’s life.

HEALTH & MEDICINE
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9. FUTURE SCENARIO 2: HOME-BASED PATIENT CARE
Ainsley is old, weak and physically immobile. She has a myriad of medical problems and is dependent on
a cocktail of drugs. She is however stable and does not need immediate intervention by the Doctors. She
does not need to be admitted to a nursing home or confined to the hospital ward.
An autonomous robot guided by other devices and sensors in Ainsley’s home attends to her needs, from
overseeing her hygiene issues, to preparation of her food, to her dietary needs as well as tastes. The
robot is her personal butler cum nurse that ensures her medications are administered according to
schedule. The robot also keeps her company and entertains her, apart from also ensuring her security;
no one is going to get into Ainsley’s home posing as a Doctor, to rob her.
When Ainsley needs to communicate with her robot carer, on days when she is unable to use her voice,
she can instruct the robot with her thought. The robot also functions as a surrogate for Doctors or
Nurses or Medical Social Workers who remotely check on Ainsley and her home environment regularly
without having to physically visit her, seeing through the robot’s “eyes” and hearing through its “ears”.
Ainsley’s condition and behaviour are constantly tracked and assessed by SMART appliances around her
in her home.
10. FUTURE SCENARIO 3: PROSTHETICS
Brian was a soldier who lost both his legs in a terrorist attack on his base. He plays football with his
prosthetic legs that both send signals to his brain and are controlled by it. He is able to do with the
prosthetic limbs what he was able to with his biological legs, with his thought.
He is also able to feel with his legs. Thanks to haptic features of the layers over his prosthetic legs, he
receives signals to the brain, of realistic sensations that mimic natural biological feelings of touch or
functions of skin.
Thanks to the sophisticated prosthetics, Brian is able to live life independently, looking after himself,
participating in normal activity as do otherwise able bodied individuals and maintain a job. He has no
accessibility issues in getting around.

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11. FUTURE SCENARIO 4: OUTBREAKS
A fresh outbreak of Ebola has been reported in an underdeveloped nation. Dr Chan is called upon to
help. He does not apply for a VISA, nor is he flown into the affected country. He connects with surrogate
humanoid robots on the ground, in the affected parts, remotely. Through his HMD device, and he
manoeuvres and controls the robots with his brain, through BCI. Through these robots he engages
patients, as if he was there on the ground, in person.
He is able to assume control of multiple such robots, in multiple locations, to skip from one patient to
another, to save time and expedite treatment or attention. At the same time, he avoids the risk of
infection himself.
12. FUTURE SCENARIO 5: DISASTER SITUATIONS
A building has collapsed and there are at least hundreds of people injured. MediHelp Hospital is the
closest to the incident site and receiving a large number of the injured, many in critical state. As patients
are being brought in, the SMART information system that is AI enabled is rapidly and simultaneously
assessing their parameters and injuries, concurrently ordering them according to priorities for attention.
Patients are also undergoing scans with the help of autonomous machines, to assess the nature and
extent of injuries.
Rather than attending to triage and administration, Doctors and Nurses guided by AI assistants in
referring to records, histories and primary assessments, are pursuing surgical and treatment courses on
each patient according to priority. Simultaneously, every patient is being tracked and monitored by a
central system. Drugs are administered autonomously, where needed, checked against records for
allergies or other medication the patient may be on. Much of the information is drawn from the
patients’ own personal devices.
Doctors from around the world are immediately able to assist MediHelp with the overwhelming patient
numbers by remotely assuming control of surrogate humanoid robots stored at the hospital to treat
patients or conduct emergency surgeries remotely.

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13. FUTURE SCENARIO 6: PHARMACY & DRUGS
Wendy is being discharged from hospital. A robot approaches her and stops right in front of her. It
dispenses a course of medications to her, reading out instructions to her. The make-up of each
medication has been checked against her history for allergies and side-effects. The system has also
autonomously checked that the drugs will affect her adversely because of other underlying conditions.
The dosage for each drug is customised to her specific body needs. She also has to consume no more
than a single capsule or pill at each of three times in a day, because the medicines have been
customised for her as such.
Given the tests, prognosis, diagnosis and analysis of the Doctors, in regards to Wendy’s case, an AI
enabled pharmaceutical system has custom designed each pill or capsule, and 3D-Printed the supply,
which has been automatically machine packaged. This is done with software and hardware leased on
licence by the hospital from the pharmaceutical company.
The SMART Packaging ensures that only Wendy is able to unpack the medication, or, a machine or
person authorised by her. It also ensures that Wendy cannot unpack more than a required dose at a
time, to prevent abuse or overdose, whether with intent or inadvertently. If the packaging is forced
open, the hospital will be alerted.
The prescriptions have been communicated to Wendy’s personal devices which from time to time will
remind her to take her medicines, to prevent her from missing a dose. In case Wendy loses the
medicines or leaves them at home when she is out or travelling, there are multiple ways in which she
can acquire substitutes. She can scan her wearable device at a public drug dispensary machine which
will custom 3D-Print a dosage for her. Otherwise, a dose can be drone delivered to her from the hospital
or another medical facility near her. If she is travelling, the necessary medicine can be 3D-Printed for her
at the airport or on the plane, provided they have the supplies of ingredients that make up the
prescribed medicines she is supposed to take. If the supply is not available, the nearest Doctor or
Chemist can be alerted, and requested to approach her to assist and advise.
The effect of each dose of medicine intake is monitored by Wendy’s wearable devices, or other
appliances around her, constantly transmitted to the hospital via the cloud. Her condition is also
monitored, the measure the effectiveness of the prescription. When Wendy no longer needs the
medicines, the SMART packaging will automatically destroy the pills or capsules.

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14. END NOTE
This document, while presenting, even if fascinating, a realistic view of the future, foreseeable based on
the current trajectory of technological developments, at the time of its preparation, is not and cannot be
exhaustive in describing the extent, nature and outcomes of the currently emerging technologies on the
future of health and medicine. For more in-depth views or extensive scenario development, you may
wish to contact Stratserv Consultancy.
The future scenarios presented herein, are expected to manifest within the natural lifespan of the
Millennial Generation, including the first of the generation. Taking the definition of the Millennial
Generation, amongst the varied that have been created, as the one describing persons born on the cusp
of the current millennium, between 1980 and 2000, with the first born of the grouping being 37 years of
age in the year 2017, and a natural lifespan for the generation liberally assumed to be 100, as a
possibility, though not necessarily on average, the timeline for manifestation of scenarios presented
herein can be capped at 63 years from 2017; deadline for complete manifestation being 2080. While this
timeline may seem long, technological development, like all other developments, occurs in parts, in
phases, in stages and gradually. This implies, that some parts or some semblance of the scenarios
presented herein may occur much sooner. The ideas of the possibilities presented herein may also
inspire reverse engineering, where businesses take what is presently feasible to produce results as
closely resembling the end scenario as possible in more near-term timeframes.
15. ABOUT STRATSERV CONSULTANCY & CONTACT INFORMATION
Stratserv Consultancy is a Singapore registered Management Consulting Practice founded and managed
by Singapore’s first local born Professional Futurist, Harish Shah. Areas of Consulting and Keynote
Presentations include, though are not limited to, Industry 4.0, HR 4.0, Organisational Future Proofing,
Marketing & Growth Strategy, Strategic Foresight, Systems Thinking and Scenario Planning.
Apart from being Singapore’s first local born Professional Futurist, Harish Shah started as one of the
youngest in the profession worldwide. His name has become synonymous with Futures Studies in Asia
and he is endearingly known globally as “The Millennial Futurist”, as “The Asian Futurist”, or, most
commonly, as “The Singapore Futurist”.
To contact Stratserv Consultancy, you may call Harish directly at +65 94510637 or email him at
harish_shah@stratservconsultancy.com
You may visit Stratserv Consultancy’s website at www.stratservconsultancy.com

THE IMPACTS OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES ON THE FUTURE OF HEALTH & MEDICINE

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