Royal Philips Electronics recently unveiled a range of futuristic design ideas for the healthcare sector based on the company’s “sense and simplicity” concept at London’s Earls Court exhibition centre. Drawing on the expertise of anthropologists, sociologists and engineers, the concepts took a holistic approach to “wellbeing” coupled with the view that healthcare is becoming more consumerdriven.
Philips explored the growing trend for couples to start families later in life. Older parents tend to have greater disposable income and means to invest in experiencing and enjoying their pregnancy.With this in mind, the concept looked at transforming the prenatal experience allowing a couple to experience very detailed images of their baby taken with a comfortable scanning “belt”.
The images are projected on to an interactive screen where the couple explore and rotate the fetus in any direction for the view of their choice.
The ultrasound can be shared with the entire family via a portable wireless device onto which regular scans and the baby’s heartbeat can be uploaded. Although the system could be used for monitoring degenerative diseases via 4D visualisation, Philips predicted that scanning during pregnancy will become as focussed on the emotional experience as it is on the clinical.
Other scenarios included an “Ambient Healing Space”, offering patients the ability to make their hospital stay more comfortable while allowing hospital staff a method of involving patients in their own care. An interactive room divider screen not only gives the patient privacy but also the ability to upload personal messages, images or wall paper patterns making the room feel less clinical and more like home. The wall has a dual use for clinicians to visually present medical information and access patient data from the bedside. A body sensing blanket also provides 24/7 patient monitoring of vital signs.
