Why old medical technology should make room for the new one | Flavia Oprea | TEDxBucharest

ten months ago I met a doctor at an

ten months ago I met a doctor at an entrepreneurship event when she found

entrepreneurship event when she found

entrepreneurship event when she found out I was a computer science student she

out I was a computer science student she

out I was a computer science student she told me that she wanted to make the

told me that she wanted to make the

told me that she wanted to make the world a better place she told me that

world a better place she told me that

world a better place she told me that the medical industry is full of old and

the medical industry is full of old and

the medical industry is full of old and expensive technology and that not

expensive technology and that not

expensive technology and that not everybody afford it back then when I

everybody afford it back then when I

everybody afford it back then when I heard that I didn’t think it was

heard that I didn’t think it was

heard that I didn’t think it was possible I would imagine that I as an

possible I would imagine that I as an

possible I would imagine that I as an ordinary person would go to the hospital

ordinary person would go to the hospital

ordinary person would go to the hospital and have access to all the latest and

and have access to all the latest and

and have access to all the latest and high-tech devices well that is not the

high-tech devices well that is not the

high-tech devices well that is not the whole truth more than a half of the

whole truth more than a half of the

whole truth more than a half of the medical devices are based on all

medical devices are based on all

medical devices are based on all technology are very expensive and can be

technology are very expensive and can be

technology are very expensive and can be found only in a few clinics and this is

found only in a few clinics and this is

found only in a few clinics and this is a thing that happens all over the world

a thing that happens all over the world

a thing that happens all over the world not only in Romania and now we ask

not only in Romania and now we ask

not only in Romania and now we ask ourselves how do we get a vision of how

ourselves how do we get a vision of how

ourselves how do we get a vision of how the medical industry will be let’s say

the medical industry will be let’s say

the medical industry will be let’s say five years from now how do I as a

five years from now how do I as a

five years from now how do I as a scientist as a doctor as an ordinary

scientist as a doctor as an ordinary

scientist as a doctor as an ordinary person creative see the solutions that

person creative see the solutions that

person creative see the solutions that can be found ahead of time from my point

can be found ahead of time from my point

can be found ahead of time from my point of view the answer is very simple

of view the answer is very simple

of view the answer is very simple using the eyes of mine and overcoming

using the eyes of mine and overcoming

using the eyes of mine and overcoming yourself after meeting the doctor that I

yourself after meeting the doctor that I

yourself after meeting the doctor that I previously told you about me and my team

previously told you about me and my team

previously told you about me and my team for enthusiastic computer science

for enthusiastic computer science

for enthusiastic computer science student went to her hospital to see what

student went to her hospital to see what

student went to her hospital to see what the real problem was we did some

the real problem was we did some

the real problem was we did some research in the medical field she was

research in the medical field she was

research in the medical field she was specialised in the loss of balance

specialised in the loss of balance

specialised in the loss of balance something that seems so simple at the

something that seems so simple at the

something that seems so simple at the first sight the loss of balance and we

first sight the loss of balance and we

first sight the loss of balance and we discovered that a lot of diseases and

discovered that a lot of diseases and

discovered that a lot of diseases and conditions have in common

conditions have in common

conditions have in common this simple symptom the loss of balance

this simple symptom the loss of balance

this simple symptom the loss of balance did you know that 7 to 10 million people

did you know that 7 to 10 million people

did you know that 7 to 10 million people are affected by Parkinson’s disease

are affected by Parkinson’s disease

are affected by Parkinson’s disease worldwide with 80,000 being

worldwide with 80,000 being

worldwide with 80,000 being every year in Europe alone 85 millions

every year in Europe alone 85 millions

every year in Europe alone 85 millions of Europeans are reported problems with

of Europeans are reported problems with

of Europeans are reported problems with ear dysfunction and another 10 million

ear dysfunction and another 10 million

ear dysfunction and another 10 million reported problems with balance only a

reported problems with balance only a

reported problems with balance only a few people know that a very premature

few people know that a very premature

few people know that a very premature symptom of the Parkinson’s disease is

symptom of the Parkinson’s disease is

symptom of the Parkinson’s disease is the loss of balance some of these

the loss of balance some of these

the loss of balance some of these conditions are inconvenient while other

conditions are inconvenient while other

conditions are inconvenient while other are downright debilitating but cut early

are downright debilitating but cut early

are downright debilitating but cut early on they can be cured or at least the

on they can be cured or at least the

on they can be cured or at least the life of the patient can be considerably

life of the patient can be considerably

life of the patient can be considerably improved but they all have something in

improved but they all have something in

improved but they all have something in common

common

common the loss of balance this is part of the

the loss of balance this is part of the

the loss of balance this is part of the diagnosis process in order to check

diagnosis process in order to check

diagnosis process in order to check their balance a patient has to go to an

their balance a patient has to go to an

their balance a patient has to go to an ear nose throat doctor or to a

ear nose throat doctor or to a

ear nose throat doctor or to a neurologist and do several tests

neurologist and do several tests

neurologist and do several tests sometimes with multiple devices these

sometimes with multiple devices these

sometimes with multiple devices these devices are based on all technology hard

devices are based on all technology hard

devices are based on all technology hard to use balance systems and sometimes

to use balance systems and sometimes

to use balance systems and sometimes even improvised solutions these

even improvised solutions these

even improvised solutions these restrictions lead to the tests being

restrictions lead to the tests being

restrictions lead to the tests being done only in a few clinics and with a

done only in a few clinics and with a

done only in a few clinics and with a big time cost for the doctor and the

big time cost for the doctor and the

big time cost for the doctor and the patient I want to show you how this

patient I want to show you how this

patient I want to show you how this process works in a hospital let’s say we

process works in a hospital let’s say we

process works in a hospital let’s say we have a patient that came in complaining

have a patient that came in complaining

have a patient that came in complaining about dizziness problems one of the

about dizziness problems one of the

about dizziness problems one of the first and a simple assess that a doctor

first and a simple assess that a doctor

first and a simple assess that a doctor does is the Romberg test this involves

does is the Romberg test this involves

does is the Romberg test this involves making the patient stand still for 20

making the patient stand still for 20

making the patient stand still for 20 seconds with his eyes closed while

seconds with his eyes closed while

seconds with his eyes closed while evaluating his back to front and side to

evaluating his back to front and side to

evaluating his back to front and side to side tilt right now this test is done

side tilt right now this test is done

side tilt right now this test is done with this large mechanical device that

with this large mechanical device that

with this large mechanical device that you can see on the screen the patient

you can see on the screen the patient

you can see on the screen the patient steps on the platform closes his eyes

steps on the platform closes his eyes

steps on the platform closes his eyes and then the pressure sensors evaluate

and then the pressure sensors evaluate

and then the pressure sensors evaluate only his back to front movement after

only his back to front movement after

only his back to front movement after that the data is being shown on the

that the data is being shown on the

that the data is being shown on the display the doctor analyzes the

display the doctor analyzes the

display the doctor analyzes the information and writes down the

information and writes down the

information and writes down the results into the medical patients file

results into the medical patients file

results into the medical patients file after all the research and the sightings

after all the research and the sightings

after all the research and the sightings that we’ve done for the problem the need

that we’ve done for the problem the need

that we’ve done for the problem the need that our doctor and all the other

that our doctor and all the other

that our doctor and all the other doctors like her have we came up with a

doctors like her have we came up with a

doctors like her have we came up with a solution we created NT it is a medical

solution we created NT it is a medical

solution we created NT it is a medical device used for tracking the balance of

device used for tracking the balance of

device used for tracking the balance of the internal ear and for checking the

the internal ear and for checking the

the internal ear and for checking the spine posture it is a wearable

spine posture it is a wearable

spine posture it is a wearable electronic based on a sensor fusion

electronic based on a sensor fusion

electronic based on a sensor fusion easily worn by the patient on his back

easily worn by the patient on his back

easily worn by the patient on his back or head auntie helps the doctor to

or head auntie helps the doctor to

or head auntie helps the doctor to execute at least three of four balance

execute at least three of four balance

execute at least three of four balance tests and with all the data being sent

tests and with all the data being sent

tests and with all the data being sent to a doctor friendly app let me show you

to a doctor friendly app let me show you

to a doctor friendly app let me show you how the test that you previously saw

how the test that you previously saw

how the test that you previously saw works with NT you put on the harness

works with NT you put on the harness

works with NT you put on the harness with the device attached to the back the

with the device attached to the back the

with the device attached to the back the device is very easy to put on and

device is very easy to put on and

device is very easy to put on and comfortable to wear after that this the

comfortable to wear after that this the

comfortable to wear after that this the doctor selects the tests to be performed

doctor selects the tests to be performed

doctor selects the tests to be performed and NT will start recording and

and NT will start recording and

and NT will start recording and processing all the data that comes from

processing all the data that comes from

processing all the data that comes from the device and from the patient’s

the device and from the patient’s

the device and from the patient’s movements at the ending of the test the

movements at the ending of the test the

movements at the ending of the test the results are displayed on the doctors PC

results are displayed on the doctors PC

results are displayed on the doctors PC with the possibility of saving them as a

with the possibility of saving them as a

with the possibility of saving them as a PDF as we can see for this patient he

PDF as we can see for this patient he

PDF as we can see for this patient he has a really good balance and he doesn’t

has a really good balance and he doesn’t

has a really good balance and he doesn’t need any further investigations right

need any further investigations right

need any further investigations right now there are devices on the market to

now there are devices on the market to

now there are devices on the market to perform this test what you saw earlier

perform this test what you saw earlier

perform this test what you saw earlier was the market leader for the Romberg

was the market leader for the Romberg

was the market leader for the Romberg test the pro balance master it cost

test the pro balance master it cost

test the pro balance master it cost eleven thousand dollars is based on all

eleven thousand dollars is based on all

eleven thousand dollars is based on all technology and requires a large amount

technology and requires a large amount

technology and requires a large amount of space to set up and for each balance

of space to set up and for each balance

of space to set up and for each balance test there are separated devices that

test there are separated devices that

test there are separated devices that are used for example for the Unterberger

are used for example for the Unterberger

are used for example for the Unterberger test there are several solutions that

test there are several solutions that

test there are several solutions that are used by a doctor

are used by a doctor

are used by a doctor from Polaroid cameras to have melted

from Polaroid cameras to have melted

from Polaroid cameras to have melted lids and more empirical solutions that

lids and more empirical solutions that

lids and more empirical solutions that involve a match

involve a match

involve a match and human observation in the past 10

and human observation in the past 10

and human observation in the past 10 months me and my team have worked along

months me and my team have worked along

months me and my team have worked along with five doctors to test the concept

with five doctors to test the concept

with five doctors to test the concept and the prototype we have performed

and the prototype we have performed

and the prototype we have performed almost 500 tests on over 400 patients

almost 500 tests on over 400 patients

almost 500 tests on over 400 patients our results show that our device is even

our results show that our device is even

our results show that our device is even better that the all the old devices are

better that the all the old devices are

better that the all the old devices are by 2020 the global med tech market will

by 2020 the global med tech market will

by 2020 the global med tech market will be worth 500 billion dollars the devices

be worth 500 billion dollars the devices

be worth 500 billion dollars the devices and diagnostics is in the top 5 med tech

and diagnostics is in the top 5 med tech

and diagnostics is in the top 5 med tech trends and it is becoming more and more

trends and it is becoming more and more

trends and it is becoming more and more integral to the Bo Pharma business NT is

integral to the Bo Pharma business NT is

integral to the Bo Pharma business NT is the class 1 medical device with the

the class 1 medical device with the

the class 1 medical device with the lowest risk and entry barriers to the

lowest risk and entry barriers to the

lowest risk and entry barriers to the market also the opportunity comes from

market also the opportunity comes from

market also the opportunity comes from the autonomy and the portability that

the autonomy and the portability that

the autonomy and the portability that makes it suitable for developing regions

makes it suitable for developing regions

makes it suitable for developing regions right now we want to continue

right now we want to continue

right now we want to continue researching the medical field using all

researching the medical field using all

researching the medical field using all the anonymous data that come from the

the anonymous data that come from the

the anonymous data that come from the test that our device does we plan on

test that our device does we plan on

test that our device does we plan on being able to track different diseases

being able to track different diseases

being able to track different diseases in certain categories of gender age and

in certain categories of gender age and

in certain categories of gender age and lifestyle that means our world will be

lifestyle that means our world will be

lifestyle that means our world will be one step ahead into tracing potential

one step ahead into tracing potential

one step ahead into tracing potential diseases that we might have just by

diseases that we might have just by

diseases that we might have just by looking at our hobbies at our gender at

looking at our hobbies at our gender at

looking at our hobbies at our gender at our age the best way to keep something

our age the best way to keep something

our age the best way to keep something bad from happening is to see it ahead of

bad from happening is to see it ahead of

bad from happening is to see it ahead of time and you can do that if you don’t

time and you can do that if you don’t

time and you can do that if you don’t face the possibility of it in the end

face the possibility of it in the end

face the possibility of it in the end what have I learned until now is that

what have I learned until now is that

what have I learned until now is that you have not lived today until you have

you have not lived today until you have

you have not lived today until you have helped somebody that can never repay you

helped somebody that can never repay you

helped somebody that can never repay you back and remember be always balanced

back and remember be always balanced

back and remember be always balanced thank you

thank you

thank you [Applause]