Guest LCSC Info Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 DIY Healthcare is Here January 12th, 2012 - by Juhi Kunde http://blog.lungevity.org/2012/01/12/di ... e-is-here/ 2012 is an exciting year ─ full of promise and innovation. I am ready to get moving! And I’m not alone. People are dropping pounds, getting married, and nurturing their fledgling companies. And they are doing it without diet pills, prenuptial agreements or risky loans. They are doing things by themselves. So, it’s not a big surprise to find that #2 trend for 2012 is a new do-it-yourself area: “DIY Health” according to Trendwatching.com. DIY Health is an emerging trend which uses new gadgets, apps and technologies to help people improve their health through prevention, early detection, monitoring and low-cost diagnosis. I wanted to share a few of these cutting-edge health apps that, in my opinion, could spark meaningful change. •To prevent hearing loss and to raise awareness of loud sounds, there is the “Play It Down” app which lets friends compare the sensitivity of their hearing and measure the volume of sounds around them. I know I’ve certainly been to concerts and wondered if I was too close to the speakers… •Was that mole shaped like Illinois or Texas? The “Skin Scan” app helps us remember. By allowing people to scan and monitor the progression of their moles, this application could help detect skin cancer earlier when it is most treatable. •Trying to convince someone to quit smoking and reduce their risk of lung cancer? The “Lungs” app could help. It allows people to input their age and the number of cigarettes smoked to show the lung damage caused by cigarettes and to estimate the time it takes for the lungs to heal. But my pick for most inspirational DIY Health app goes to… •The groundbreaking app from Lifelens which tells people if they have malaria with 94% accuracy. All they need to do is prick a finger to get a blood drop, mix the blood with a special dye and then use a smartphone equipped with a high magnification lens. The app takes a picture of the blood, magnifies it and identifies malarial parasites. This technology could revolutionize healthcare clinics in rural Africa and beyond. The most amazing part? There are many more mind-blowing technologies on the horizon. Maybe in a few years we will be coughing into a special tissue to check if we have lung cancer. Or maybe someone will devise a way to detect early lung cancer biomarkers using a drop of blood and a smartphone. This is not science-fiction! This could be our future. It is within our reach. By working together with LUNGevity to fund innovative research, we can make it our reality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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