Quantified Self Movement Gains Momentum: Biomedical Research
Gerard Foster
Dr. Hilary Kim
Biomedical Research 617
February 15, 2016
Quantified Self Movement Gains Momentum
Many of us have used the excuse, “Sorry I’m late, I lost track of time.” What if there were a device that could not only help you keep track of time, but also make you aware when you are losing time and why? As part of their senior class project at Cornell, recent graduates Brian Schiffer and Sima Mitra created a watch that measures our perception of time, as opposed to actual time.1
The implications of this watch device, called Tic-Toc-Trac, could potentially lead to early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders. When properly used, Tic-Toc-Trac not only measures how long you think a particular action …show more content…
2New devices, apps, and websites to measure calorie input, body fat, heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, water intake, sleep patterns and other diagnostics are being created every day. Dr. Eric Topol indicates that “the emergence of powerful tools to digitize human beings with full support of a digital infrastructure creates an unparalleled opportunity to inevitably and forever change the face of how health care is delivered” (Topol …show more content…
Instead of having to write down every calorie, fat gram, and ounce of protein or carbohydrate consumed, there are now smartphone apps, tablet apps, and computer programs that will enable you to enter and store all that data easily and let you track how food has made you feel when you ate it. By analyzing the data at the end of a given week or month, an individual can make changes that will directly help him or her adjust food intake or exercise levels to reach a desired weight and to take the mystery out of why his or her current dietary plan may not be working.
The healthcare industry is taking notice. Many hospitals are planning for the effects of personalized medicine. There is a huge increase in the amount of data-driven information, and doctors and medical staffs are being encouraged to communicate with their patients about the data they track, some of which could permanently change the diagnoses and treatment of chronic conditions. Mining of data could even support research into the genomic basis of a disease (Glaser
Dr. Hilary Kim
Biomedical Research 617
February 15, 2016
Quantified Self Movement Gains Momentum
Many of us have used the excuse, “Sorry I’m late, I lost track of time.” What if there were a device that could not only help you keep track of time, but also make you aware when you are losing time and why? As part of their senior class project at Cornell, recent graduates Brian Schiffer and Sima Mitra created a watch that measures our perception of time, as opposed to actual time.1
The implications of this watch device, called Tic-Toc-Trac, could potentially lead to early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders. When properly used, Tic-Toc-Trac not only measures how long you think a particular action …show more content…
2New devices, apps, and websites to measure calorie input, body fat, heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, water intake, sleep patterns and other diagnostics are being created every day. Dr. Eric Topol indicates that “the emergence of powerful tools to digitize human beings with full support of a digital infrastructure creates an unparalleled opportunity to inevitably and forever change the face of how health care is delivered” (Topol …show more content…
Instead of having to write down every calorie, fat gram, and ounce of protein or carbohydrate consumed, there are now smartphone apps, tablet apps, and computer programs that will enable you to enter and store all that data easily and let you track how food has made you feel when you ate it. By analyzing the data at the end of a given week or month, an individual can make changes that will directly help him or her adjust food intake or exercise levels to reach a desired weight and to take the mystery out of why his or her current dietary plan may not be working.
The healthcare industry is taking notice. Many hospitals are planning for the effects of personalized medicine. There is a huge increase in the amount of data-driven information, and doctors and medical staffs are being encouraged to communicate with their patients about the data they track, some of which could permanently change the diagnoses and treatment of chronic conditions. Mining of data could even support research into the genomic basis of a disease (Glaser