6 New Scientific Inventions that will be Saving Lives in the Next Few Years

Technology continues to advance at a torrid pace in the 21st century. With the enhanced knowledge and available resources we now have, scientists have been working on new applications for cutting-edge inventions that will soon be saving lives. Here is a compilation of six new inventions that will be making a major impact on longevity in the next few years:

WiThings Blood Pressure Monitor

This easily portable blood pressure monitor will revolutionize consumers' awareness of their own physical well-being, and easily link them with physicians when a potential problem arises. The monitor takes and records blood pressure, and allows a patient's results to be e-mailed, tracked, sorted and graphed so that physicians are up-to-speed on their patient's health, without needing an appointment. This makes it easy for doctors to prescribe changes in a patient's lifestyle, or additional medicine when blood pressure gets into a dangerous area.

iMicroscope

On the surface, a new prototype that turns an iPhone camera into a medical-quality microscope may not seem all that revolutionary. But it is the affordability and accessibility that make this invention an impactful one. The prototype currently costs under $40, and once in production the price will drop even further. The potential uses for an iMicroscope range from counting and classifying blood cells, to diagnosing an array of diseases. The beauty of iMicroscope is that it can be afforded in rural areas and developing countries. According to professionals at Microscope.com , physicians in these poorer areas will now be able to recognize and diagnose diseases that were previously untreatable.

Pathfinder

This new technology revolutionizes operating procedures. Previously, surgeons did not have a true sense of a patient's internal organs until after surgery had begun, but that all changes with Pathfinder. It acts as a sort of human GPS, allowing doctors to map out a 3D image of the patient's organs through use of CT scans. Pathfinder will raise the rate of successful operations, as any potential complications are discovered in advance, allowing surgeons to plan accordingly.

AliveCor iPhone ECG

Physicians use an electrocardiogram (ECG) to measure the muscular activity of the heart, and determine if a patient is having a heart attack. Its use in emergency situations is invaluable, and now that technology is being transferred into a doctor's coat pocket .

AliveCor has produced an iPhone case that comes with two metal electrodes on the outside. The bumps are placed on a patient's chest, and will analyze, transmit, and store an ECG reading so that physicians may immediately diagnosis the patient. The practicality of the technology has already been demonstrated, as one of the physicians testing it determined that a passenger on his same flight was having a heart attack, prompting an emergency landing so the passenger could be taken to a hospital.

Lucas 2 Chest Compression System

This new technology takes human error out of administering CPR. A lightweight and portable tool, the Lucas system delivers uninterrupted chest compressions that are precise in rate and depth, improving patient's survival prospects. The tool operates independently, allowing emergency responders to focus attention on other injuries in multiple trauma emergencies.

3D Printing

3D printing is making its entrance into the medical field, and we seem to be hearing about it more with every passing day. Its recent emergence offers exciting possibilities, including the production of biomaterials such as kidney or heart tissues, drugs, and possibly even living cells. If 3D printing becomes a viable source of biomaterials, it could eliminate a great amount of risk for transplant patients, and greatly reduce waiting lists—saving countless lives.

With these six new inventions in the medical field, the prospects for increased human longevity are brighter than ever. We are lucky enough to live in an age where technology and science are advancing rapidly, and solving problems we thought would never be resolved.