The pace of technology change is staggering. Processing chips are getting smaller andfaster, while memory capacity is getting bigger and bigger. Wireless, implantable devices that monitor a range of health conditions in real-time already exist. More than 8.2 billion Internet-connected devices are now installed worldwide, exceeding the population of the planet. This category includes a diverse range of products such as tablets, smart TVs, games consoles, smartphones, connected set-top boxes, Blu-ray players, laptops and PCs. With around 7.4 billion people, it is equivalent to 1.1 devices for every global citizen, nearly double the number in 2013.
After several years of testing and development, a miniature device is now available* that can monitor a range of substances in the blood, providing instant results via mobile phone. Inserted by needle and placed just beneath the skin - in the same way identity chips are inserted into pets - it can remain in the body for months before needing to be replaced or removed.
This tiny laboratory measures 14mm and comprises five sensors, a coil for wireless power as well as miniaturised electronics for radio communication. The entire system is powered by a mere one-tenth of a watt. Each sensor's surface is covered with an enzyme that is used to detect chemicals like ATP, glucose and lactate. Data is transmitted via Bluetooth to a mobile phone, which can then be sent to a doctor, if necessary.
What's up doc?
Advances on the robotics front are also extraordinary. Telesurgery is now being explored as a way for doctors to conduct surgeries over long distances. This could allow a specialist surgeon in England to operate on a patient in Australia, for example, using only remote-controlled robots. However, issues with latency will delay this practice from entering the mainstream for a while yet.
Previously, dozens of medical professionals - surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses - were needed to perform standard operations, with even more personnel required for complex procedures. Now, robots can remove some, if not all, of this burden, performing the jobs of several different specialists at once and working around the clock without tiring.
It is predicted that by 2018, surgical procedures will consist of just one or two human supervisors overseeing a robot's work. In the long run, this helps to reduce health costs. Additionally, robots offer much higher precision than humans, so patients are able to leave the operating table with reduced trauma.
Telesurgery is now being explored as a way for doctors to conduct surgeries over long distances.
Micro-aerial vehicles the size of insects have been in development for over a decade. One of the major hurdles was creating sufficient battery power in such a small object, as well as keeping them light enough to remain airborne. They are now entering military use in a number of roles, from spying missions - where they quite literally serve as a "fly on the wall" - to search and rescue operations, where they can easily navigate tight corners and spaces.
Amazing stuff, but in the overall scheme of life and business, what does it mean?
To answer this, I pose another question: What do the following have in common?
* Internet of things
* Applications
* Devices
* Cars
* Online shopping
They all depend on software that:
* Has to be written
* Tested
* Deployed
* Connected
* Secured
* Monitored
* Managed
So, the answer is that everybody cares about this stuff. People are living in an application economy where customers are more likely to experience a brand through a software app than a person. In order to thrive in this new reality, developing and delivering superior user experiences that engage customers and staff are now the ultimate business priority.
Today, brand loyalty is being replaced by experience loyalty, meaning performance is constantly under the spotlight as customers interact with businesses via software.
In the application economy, constantly updating applications is the name of the game, and to be a winning player, companies must deliver the very best user experience by ensuring those improvements are based on real user feedback.
In my next Industry Insight, I will explain what it means to be in the software business, even if a company is in banking, retail, car manufacturing, etc. The lines are now blurred, and all roads lead to software.
* Wall Street Journal
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424053111903480904576512250915629460
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