MedTech + Art

 

Image of app prototype

A few months ago, I was part of a startup team building a smart clinical nutrition app. The goal of the product was to allow healthcare professionals to calculate energy and macronutrient requirements, as well as feeding (oral, enteral, and parenteral) for his/her patients. This app would allow dietitians to securely store calculations and notes for each patient without needing to do the calculations by hand each day. This product truly demonstrates the interconnections between technology, medicine, and art in the modern age: user experience design elements were implemented to create a simple interface for medical professionals to use, with smart recommendations based on clinical guidelines and collected data. As explained by Professor Vesna, this shows that the med-tech space has grown immensely over the last few decades (perhaps as a response to our increasing desire for a healthy body and mind), promoting the collaboration between designers, engineers, and medical professionals to create products as such for different target markets all over the world. 

When looking at this week’s topic from an artistic point of view, a project I find particularly inspiring is Perceptions of Light by James Turrell. The artist focuses on light and space as his main mediums and creates immersive environments where viewers are able to become more aware of changes in the landscape, thus becoming more aware of the act of observing (“Perceptions of Light James Turrell”). This sensorial experience emphasizes the connection between the mind and body through visual perception and heightened consciousness.

Perceptions of Light by James Turrell

Although the Hippocratic Oath remains important in addressing ethics and moral virtues in medical practices, it seems necessary to question the relevance of the Oath, given the rapid technological development in the medical field. Not all parts of the pledge may be relevant to the modern practice of medicine: different medical specializations follow different procedures, and there are more factors involved in health care. Biotechnology has contributed to the increasing complexity of medical care, and personal health information is widely accessible for individuals (Walton and Kerridge 2). 

Pledges of the Hippocratic Oath

As Patricia Olynyk states, we live in a highly accelerated world, with medicine and technology growing incredibly fast. As technology continues to advance and increase our understanding of our bodies physically, mentally, and emotionally (Vesna), it is important to be responsive to change by critiquing ethical aspects of med-tech at each step, observing how the world is shifting, and understanding the technical and social changes taking place in society. This form of critical and contextual inquiry is vital for advancing social, ethical, and humanistic perspectives of medicine. 

References

Digital image. HealthLeap. Web. https://healthleap.io

“Ganzfeld – A Light and Space Exhibiton by James Turrell.” Digital Image. DesignIsThis Blog. Web. https://www.designisthis.com/blog/en/post/james-turrell-ganzfeld

Olynyk, Patricia. “Crossing the boundaries of art, science + technology.” 19 April. 2021. Lecture.

"Perceptions of Light James Turrell, Aesthetica Magazine Archives.” Aesthetica. 17 November. 2014. Web.

“The Hippocratic Oath.” Digital Image. Medicalopedia. Web. https://www.medicalopedia.org/6918/the-hippocratic-oath/

Vesna, Victoria. “Medicine pt1.” MedTech + Art. 22 April. 2012. Lecture.

Vesna, Victoria. “Medicine pt2.” MedTech + Art. 22 April. 2012. Lecture.

Walton M, Kerridge I. “Do no harm: is it time to rethink the Hippocratic Oath?” Med Educ. 2014;48(1):17-27. Web.