Engineers, Try Not to be the Mean Kids in the Healthcare Playground!
Don’t you just love it when even the dynamic field of medical technology turns into a game of Monopoly with “Big Brother” biases? That’s right, according to a UK report, medical device development has been doling out solutions like a lunch lady doling out mashed potatoes, leaving some groups with an overloaded plate while others are scratching their heads, wondering why they were skipped. Professors Steven Johnson and Jonathan Ensor sound the call to arms for engineers and scientists to correct this imbalance.
Key Points: Playgrounds for All, Please!
- There’s an equity issue in the distribution of medical technology benefits. It seems the playing field isn’t level and some people are getting the short straw. Note to self: tech development should aim to break biases, not encourage them.
- Medical tech development needs to wear multifocal glasses: it should consider the expertise of engineers, the knowledge of healthcare professionals, AND the experiences of diverse communities. Medical technology should be like Santa, making a customized gift for everyone on the nice list.
- We need to arrive beyond the surface level ‘hello’ to the patient communities. We mean really roll up our sleeves and have a proper mud pie-making session with the marginalized communities. It’s like building a Lego castle – some blocks can be square while others round. The key is to recognize these differing block types and work with them, not against them.
Closing Thoughts: Calling all Tech Avengers!
As the world evolves (still no flying cars, though!), it’s vital for the medical tech field to do some soul-searching too. Remember folks, our goal is to create technology that heals, not technology that discriminates. It’s time to think differently, work inclusively, and innovate with equity in mind. And, maybe while we’re at it, we can ban the inequity ogre from the healthcare playground, don’t you think? Let’s sprinkle some pixie dust and reverse engineer this situation. C’mon science Avengers, this is our Endgame!
As part of this experiment I would like to give credit where credit is due. If you enjoy these, please take a moment to read the original article:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/mar/19/technology-must-tackle-bias-in-medical-devices
Blog Title
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Instruction: “You are an AI blog title generator. Create a catchy and concise title for the blog post that is catchy and optimized for search engines. Remove all html in the response and do not use quotes. Please do not use words that are unsafe to process in Dall-E image AI.”
Prompt: Content Summary of text from above.
Response: Innovating Medical Technology for Equity: A Call to Action for Engineers & Scientists
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Instruction: “You are a helpful assistant that creates unique images based on article titles. Create a brief visual description of what an image would look like for this title. Please pick a style of art from the following: Futurism, Impressionism, Romanticism, or Realism, be sure to consider the image should reflect an AI Robot Pirate theme during the Golden Age of Pirates.”
Prompt: In the style of Realism, this image would depict a diverse group of engineers and scientists engaged in a high-tech lab decked with futuristic equipment. At the center, a holographic projection of an anatomical human body appears, signifying advancements in medical technology. One engineer is interacting with an advanced AI interface, symbolizing the integration of Artificial Intelligence, indicating the call to action. The background banner displaying the article’s title drives the theme home. The visual impression of equity is manifested through representation of diverse gender, race, and age in the characters, all working harmoniously.
Response: Innovating Medical Technology for Equity: A Call to Action for Engineers & Scientists
