Critical Reflection

Module Learning

Before this module, I was confident that my writing and communication skills were above average and required minimal improvements to perfect both skills. To me, both writing formally and presenting in front of others were simple and could do with little to no effort. However, after going through 13 weeks of communication and critical thinking module, I finally realised how foolish, overconfident and wrong I was in my skills. 

In this trimester, I was exposed to writing formal academic reports with tight deadlines, which were quite demanding as I had to do plenty of research to have a better and deeper understanding of specific topics. Soon, I felt my writing and research skills were lacking and unable to meet the university standards. Nonetheless, attending this communication module helped me to write more proficiently and fluently.

Professor Blackstone provided online resources and delivered well-planned in-class content that was proven to be extremely useful and both of them became my go-to references if I encountered any issues while writing my reports. Other than that, I was taught the writing conventions where I was required to strictly adhere to the rules in my reports. It was crucial in academic writing as all of us needed to give credit to the authors of the articles that we took references to. All this definitely would help me in my journey in SIT and even in my future workplace.

In addition, I started to overcome my issue in presenting where I always had difficulties in conveying my ideas to the audience. By making observations on how Professor Blackstone adopted the use of tone, pauses and enunciation, body language in class allowed me to try out the same concepts during the discussions. From there, I learned to freely express my thoughts in spoken words, capture the audience’s attention and let them understand my conveyed messages. This essentially paves the way for me to speak more fluently with people.

 

Project Learning

For the research project, I was given the role of the writer in my team. My tasks were to take notes of discussions within my team and convert them into meetings and content in pour report. At the start, it was challenging as we came from different educational backgrounds and had different ideas from one another. However, through discussions and effective communication, we were able to decide on a single research topic and go ahead with it. 

Other than that, it was crucial to be open-minded towards every member’s ideas and feedback as they might provide some unusual insights or perspectives that one might not think about before. During the presentation, I felt that I could apply what I learned in class, be able to give a good presentation and work together with my teammates to answer the questions in Q&A sessions. This experience will be extremely helpful in working as a team in my further studies at SIT and also in my future workplace. 

Thus I would like to thank Professor Brad for his detailed guidance as well as his expertise, for creating such a wonderful and insightful learning experience.

Summary Reader Response - Healthcare Drone (Final Draft)

In the article “Drones May Become ‘The Next Big Thing’ In Healthcare Delivery,” Balasubramanian (2022) proposes the idea of using drone technology or UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in medical industries. UAV is an unmanned aerial vehicle piloted via remote control or onboard computers and previously intended for aerial and military use only. Today, drone technology is widely used in various fields of expertise and exhibits remarkable promise in clinical use. A drone commonly consists of cameras, GPS (Global Positioning System), an onboard computer with AI (Artificial Intelligence) and numerous types of sensors, allowing for better independence and efficient flights (Scott & Scott, 2017). The cameras installed are high-performance, zoom and gimbal Steadicam with tilt capabilities, which helps to produce more accurate, sharper images (Lutkevich, B. & Earls, A. R., 2021). The GPS and onboard computer with AI (Artificial Intelligence) helps the drone to determine its coordinates, improving its navigational accuracy. The sensors equipped on the drone, namely ultrasonic and collision avoidance sensors, help to prevent crashing down and avoid any potential obstacle. In addition, for a healthcare drone, various medical equipment related to first aid measures can be incorporated onto the drone itself, enhancing its life-saving capabilities, such as devices monitoring EKG activity, pulse, blood pressure, temperature, oxygen saturation and ultrasound (Rhythm Technologies, Inc., n.d.; Sotera Wireless, Inc., n.d.; Zhao et al. 2015). Healthcare industries should implement drone technology into their medical services due to its ability to reach remote areas, transportation of lab samples, specimens and organs that are time-restricted and delivery of portable medical instruments.

Firstly, with the quadcopter design, drones can generate enough lift to fly past most terrains, which helps in reaching rural or remote areas. There are still communities living in remote areas that are inaccessible via traditional transportation, or the routes to any medical facilities in the area are blocked due to various issues like bad terrain, obstacles, or roadblocks (Amukele, 2019). Ling & Draghic (2019) states that with drone technology, it can improve response times and reduce transportation costs, particularly in rural areas. Conversely, it can be related to urban areas, where congestion is a nuisance to emergency medical delivery. Thus, with the use of drone technology, medical service providers can reach their patients from remote locations, as drone technology provides the ability to swiftly bypass obstacles and rough terrains without risking the service providers (Balasingam, 2017).

Secondly, the transportation of lab specimens, blood and organs via UAVs can be done using air-tight, temperature-regulated carriers. Ling & Draghic (2019) state that a San Francisco Bay-based tech firm, namely Zipline, started a drone delivery operation in Rwanda that oversees the administration of blood, plasma, and platelets to various medical facilities within the region (Ling & Draghic, 2019). This shows that drones can deliver medical supplies that are extremely sensitive to external factors such as temperatures and air pressure. Other than that, drones can help in delivering specimens from medical facilities to laboratories without causing any contamination of the specimens or adversely affecting laboratory results (Ling & Draghic, 2019). Furthermore, Nyaaba & Ayamga (2021) mention that organs can be delivered via aerial drones to ensure the freshness of organs without damaging them, which will directly affect the chance of success for any transplant operations.

Lastly, it is possible to use aerial drones to deliver emergency medical aid like automated external defibrillators (AEDs) or first aid kits by securing the equipment onto the drones’ body frame or mechanical clamps. Through this method, drones can deliver the necessary medical equipment to the patients faster than traditional means like ambulances and paramedics, which can drastically improve the survivability of the patients, especially in life-or-death situations. Therefore, drones can provide swift delivery of medical devices to patients, for them to self-administer before the emergency response team arrives at the scene (Boutilier et al., 2017; Ling & Draghic, 2019; Sanfridsson et al., 2019).

However, despite the enormous potential and various possibilities for the usage of drone technology in healthcare industries, there are still some downsides that need to be looked at closely. Firstly, the storage and transportation of specimens via drones must be rigorous and well-regulated. Any mismanagement of aspects like the temperature of storage or the duration of transportation could severely affect drug efficacy and potentially contaminate the specimen. These compromises could lead to devastating results for the health and well-being of a patient (Balasingam, 2017). Secondly, the effectiveness of drones highly depends on whether the person has any or no professional knowledge of administering medical treatment. Such an arrangement could be a hindrance compared to traditional methods of medical transport and the delivery of medical aid (Balasingam, 2017).

In conclusion, the implementation and usage of drone technology in the healthcare industry is an idea that we cannot ignore due to its vast possibility and potential. Its benefits like the ability to reach remote areas, transportation of lab samples, specimens and organs that are time-restricted and delivery of portable medical instruments will bring the healthcare industry to the next level.

References

Amukele, T. (2019). Current state of drones in healthcare: Challenges and opportunities. The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine, 4(2), 296–298. https://doi.org/10.1373/jalm.2019.030106

 

Balasingam, M. (2017). Drones in medicine - the rise of the machines. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 71(9). https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcp.12989

 

Boutilier, J. J., Brooks, S. C., Janmohamed, A., Byers, A., Buick, J. E., Zhan, C., Schoellig, A. P., Cheskes, S., Morrison, L. J., & Chan, T. C. (2017). Optimizing a drone network to deliver automated external defibrillators. Circulation, 135(25), 2454–2465. https://doi.org/10.1161/circulationaha.116.026318

 

Ling, G., & Draghic, N. (2019). Aerial drones for blood delivery. Transfusion, 59(S2), 1608–1611. https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.15195

 

Lutkevich, B., & Earls, A. R. (2021, December 7). What is a drone? - definition from whatis.com. IoT Agenda. Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://www.techtarget.com/iotagenda/definition/drone

 

Sanfridsson, J., Sparrevik, J., Hollenberg, J., Nordberg, P., Djärv, T., Ringh, M., Svensson, L., Forsberg, S., Nord, A., Andersson-Hagiwara, M., & Claesson, A. (2019). Drone delivery of an automated external defibrillator – a mixed method simulation study of bystander experience. Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, 27(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-019-0622-6

 

Scott, J., & Scott, C. (2017). Drone delivery models for Healthcare. Proceedings of the 50th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (2017). https://doi.org/10.24251/hicss.2017.399

 

Sotera Digital Health: Sotera Digital Health. Sotera Digital Health | Sotera Digital Health. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2022, from http://www.visimobile.com./

 

Uninterrupted ambulatory cardiac monitoring. Uninterrupted Ambulatory Cardiac Monitoring. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://www.irhythmtech.com/

 

Zhao, F., Li, M., & Tsien, J. Z. (2015). Technology platforms for remote monitoring of vital signs in the new era of telemedicine. Expert Review of Medical Devices, 12(4), 411–429. https://doi.org/10.1586/17434440.2015.1050957

Summary Reader Response - Healthcare drone (Draft 2)

In the article “Drones May Become ‘The Next Big Thing’ In Healthcare Delivery,” Balasubramanian (2022) proposes the idea of using drone technology or UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in medical industries. UAV is an unmanned aerial vehicle piloted via remote control or onboard computers and previously intended for aerial and military use only. Today, drone technology is widely used in various fields of expertise and exhibits remarkable promise in clinical use. A drone commonly consists of cameras, GPS (Global Positioning System), an onboard computer with AI(Artificial Intelligence) and numerous types of sensors, allowing for better independency and efficient flights (Scott & Scott, 2017). The cameras installed are high-performance, zoom and gimbal Steadicam with tilt capabilities, which helps to produce more accurate, sharper images (Lutkevich, B. & Earls, A. R., 2021). The GPS and onboard computer with AI(Artificial Intelligence) helps the drone to determine its coordinates, improving its navigational accuracy. The sensors equipped on the drone, namely ultrasonic and collision avoidance sensors, help to prevent crashing down and avoid any potential obstacle. In addition, for a healthcare drone, various medical equipment related to first aid measures can be incorporated onto the drone itself, enhancing its life-saving capabilities, such as devices monitoring EKG activity, pulse, blood pressure, temperature, oxygen saturation and ultrasound (Rhythm Technologies, Inc., n.d.; Sotera Wireless, Inc., n.d.; Zhao et al. 2015). Therefore, healthcare industries should implement drone technology into their medical services due to its ability to reach remote areas, transportation of lab samples, specimens and organs that are time-restricted and delivery of portable medical instruments.

Until this day, there are still communities that only have limited or no access to medical services. “These communities exist in every country and include the territories of northern Norway, indigenous communities in Canada and Australia, and the Zambezi region of Namibia” (Amukele, Nov 2019). People from these communities often have to travel a huge distance just to receive basic healthcare needs. The reasons are most likely because these communities are living in remote areas that are inaccessible via traditional transportation, or the routes to any medical facilities in the area are blocked due to various issues like bad terrain, obstacles or roadblocks. A journal published by Ling & Draghic (2019) states that drones can improve response times and reduce transportation costs, particularly in rural areas. Conversely, it can be related to urban areas, where congestion is a nuisance to emergency medical delivery. Thus, with the use of drone technology, medical service providers can reach their patients from remote locations, as drone technology provides the ability to swiftly bypass obstacles and rough terrains without risking the service providers (Balasingam, 2017). 

The idea of using drone technology in the transportation of lab specimens, blood and organs is not as far-fetched as we think. A San Francisco Bay-based tech firm, namely Zipline, started a drone delivery operation in Rwanda, trying to build up a distribution centre that oversees the administration of blood, plasma and platelets to various medical facilities within the region (Ling & Draghic, 2019). This idea is ingenious as drones can relieve the stresses caused by logistical issues in terms of having low medical supplies. Other than that, drones can help in delivering specimens from medical facilities to laboratories without causing any contamination to the specimens or adversely affecting laboratory results (Ling & Draghic, 2019). Furthermore, a piece of research done by Nyaaba & Ayamga (2021) shows organs can be delivered via aerial drones to ensure the freshness of organs without damaging them, which will directly affect the chance of success for any transplant operations.

“First aid delivery by a drone in response to an emergency constitutes the most urgent medical aid delivered by a drone” (Nyaaba & Ayamga, 2021). It is possible to use aerial drones to deliver emergency medical aid like automated external defibrillators (AEDs) or first aid kits to urgent patients that are in life or death situations. That is because drones can get to the patients faster than traditional means like ambulances and paramedics, which can drastically improve the survivability of the patients. Therefore, drones are capable of providing swift delivery of medical devices to patients, for them to self-administer before the emergency response team arrives at the scene (Ling & Draghic, 2019; Sanfridsson et al., 2019; Boutilier et al., 2017).

However, despite the huge potential and various possibilities for the usage of drone technology in healthcare industries. Firstly, the storage and transportation of specimens via drones must be rigorously and well regulated. Any mismanagement of aspects like the temperature of storage or the duration of transportation could severely affect drug efficacy and potentially contaminate the specimen. These compromises could lead to devastating results for the health and well-being of a patient (Balasingam, 2017). Secondly, the effectiveness of drones highly relies on whether the person has any or no professional knowledge of administering medical treatment. Such an arrangement could be a hindrance compared to traditional methods of medical transport and the delivery of medical assistance (Balasingam, 2017).

In conclusion, the implementation and usage of drone technology in the healthcare industry is an idea that we cannot ignore due to its vast possibility and potential. Its benefits like the ability to reach remote areas, transportation of lab samples, specimens and organs that are time-restricted and delivery of portable medical instruments will bring the healthcare industry to the next level.

References

Scott, J., & Scott, C. (2017). Drone delivery models for Healthcare. Proceedings of the 50th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (2017). https://doi.org/10.24251/hicss.2017.399 

Lutkevich, B., & Earls, A. R. (2021, December 7). What is a drone? - definition from whatis.com. IoT Agenda. Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://www.techtarget.com/iotagenda/definition/drone 

Sotera Digital Health: Sotera Digital Health. Sotera Digital Health | Sotera Digital Health. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2022, from http://www.visimobile.com./ 

Uninterrupted ambulatory cardiac monitoring. Uninterrupted Ambulatory Cardiac Monitoring. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://www.irhythmtech.com/ 

Zhao, F., Li, M., & Tsien, J. Z. (2015). Technology platforms for remote monitoring of vital signs in the new era of telemedicine. Expert Review of Medical Devices, 12(4), 411–429. https://doi.org/10.1586/17434440.2015.1050957 

Amukele, T. (2019). Current state of drones in healthcare: Challenges and opportunities. The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine, 4(2), 296–298. https://doi.org/10.1373/jalm.2019.030106 

Balasingam, M. (2017). Drones in medicine - the rise of the machines. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 71(9). https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcp.12989 

Ling, G., & Draghic, N. (2019). Aerial drones for blood delivery. Transfusion, 59(S2), 1608–1611. https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.15195 

Boutilier, J. J., Brooks, S. C., Janmohamed, A., Byers, A., Buick, J. E., Zhan, C., Schoellig, A. P., Cheskes, S., Morrison, L. J., & Chan, T. C. (2017). Optimizing a drone network to deliver automated external defibrillators. Circulation, 135(25), 2454–2465. https://doi.org/10.1161/circulationaha.116.026318 

Sanfridsson, J., Sparrevik, J., Hollenberg, J., Nordberg, P., Djärv, T., Ringh, M., Svensson, L., Forsberg, S., Nord, A., Andersson-Hagiwara, M., & Claesson, A. (2019). Drone delivery of an automated external defibrillator – a mixed method simulation study of bystander experience. Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, 27(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-019-0622-6 

Design Summary & Reader Response - Healthcare Drones (Draft 1)

In the article “Drones May Become ‘The Next Big Thing’ In Healthcare Delivery,” Balasubramanian (2022) proposes the idea of using drone technology or UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in medical industries. UAV is an unmanned aerial vehicle piloted via remote control or onboard computers and previously intended for aerial and military use only. Today, drone technology is widely used in various fields of expertise and exhibits remarkable promise in clinical use. A drone commonly consists of cameras, GPS (Global Positioning System), an onboard computer with AI(Artificial Intelligence) and numerous types of sensors, allowing for better independency and efficient flights (Scott & Scott, 2017). The cameras installed are high-performance, zoom and gimbal Steadicam with tilt capabilities, which helps to produce more accurate, sharper images (Lutkevich, B. & Earls, A. R., 2021). The GPS and onboard computer with AI(Artificial Intelligence) helps the drone to determine its coordinates, improving its navigational accuracy. The sensors equipped on the drone, namely ultrasonic and collision avoidance sensors, help to prevent crashing down and avoid any potential obstacle. In addition, for a healthcare drone, various medical equipment related to first aid measures can be incorporated onto the drone itself, enhancing its life-saving capabilities, such as devices monitoring EKG activity, pulse, blood pressure, temperature, oxygen saturation and ultrasound (Rhythm Technologies, Inc., n.d.; Sotera Wireless, Inc., n.d.; Zhao et al. 2015). Therefore, healthcare industries should implement drone technology into their medical services due to its ability to reach remote areas, transportation of lab samples, specimens and organs that are time-restricted and delivery of portable medical instruments.

Until this day, there are still communities all around the world that only have limited or no access to medical services. “These communities exist in every country and include the territories of northern Norway, indigenous communities in Canada and Australia, and the Zambezi region of Namibia” (Amukele, Nov 2019). People from these communities often have to travel a huge distance just to receive basic healthcare needs. The reasons are most likely because these communities are living in remote areas that are inaccessible via traditional transportation, or the routes to any medical facilities in the area are blocked due to various issues like bad terrain, obstacles and roadblocks. “Drones enable improved response times and reduced transportation costs, particularly in remote and/or underserved environments. Conversely, the need for drones can also be true for urban areas, where congestion can be an impediment to emergency medical delivery” (Ling & Draghic, 2019). Thus, with the use of drone technology, medical service providers can reach their patients from remote locations, as drone technology is easy to use, it provides the ability to bypass obstacles and rough terrains without putting any risk to the service providers and able to travel quickly from one point to the other (Balasingam, 2017).

The idea of using drone technology in the transportation of lab specimens, blood and organs is not as far-fetched as we think. A San Francisco Bay-based tech firm, namely Zipline, started a drone delivery operation in Rwanda, trying to build up a distribution centre that oversees the administration of blood, plasma and platelets to various medical facilities within the region (Ling & Draghic, 2019). This idea is ingenious as drones can relieve the stresses caused by logistical issues in terms of having low medical supplies. Other than that, drones can help in delivering specimens from medical facilities to laboratories without causing any contamination to the specimens. “Fortunately, drones provide fast, cost-effective access to important diagnostic laboratory tests. Recent studies demonstrate that biofluid samples can be safely transported by drones without adversely affecting laboratory results” (Ling & Draghic, 2019). Furthermore, organs can be delivered via aerial drones to ensure the freshness of organs without damaging them, which will directly affect the chance of success for any transplant operations. “Interestingly, drones are not only used for delivering medical supplies but also human body parts like the kidney as well” (Nyaaba & Ayamga, 2021).

“First aid delivery by a drone in response to an emergency constitutes the most urgent medical aid delivered by a drone” (Nyaaba & Ayamga, 2021). It is possible to use aerial drones to deliver emergency medical aid like automated external defibrillators (AEDs) or first aid kits to urgent patients that are in life or death situations. That is because drones can get to the patients faster than traditional means like ambulances and paramedics, which can drastically improve the survivability of the patients. Therefore, drones are capable of providing swift delivery of medical devices to patients, for them to self-administer before the emergency response team arrives at the scene (Ling & Draghic, 2019; Sanfridsson et al., 2019; Boutilier et al., 2017).

However, despite the huge potential and various possibilities for the usage of drone technology in healthcare industries, there are a few restrictions on the use of drones that must be considered while implementing the technology. Firstly, depending on the laws and regulations of the region, the usage of drones can be illegal. “Regulatory limitations need to be addressed and updated before drones can be used in the medical field. These include legislations pertaining to predetermined flight corridors where drones need to fly ‘in the line of sight’. In medical emergencies, the fastest route needs to be employed for ensuring life-saving therapy, including ‘flying out of sight.’ As such, any deviation from this might adversely impact the health and survival rate of a patient” (Balasingam, 2017). Secondly, the storage and transportation of the specimens via drones must be rigorously and well regulated. Any mismanagement of aspects like the temperature of storage or the duration of transportation could severely affect drug efficacy and potentially contaminate the specimen. These compromises could lead to devastating results for the health and well-being of a patient (Balasingam, 2017). Thirdly, “The effectiveness of drones will depend on the individual aiming to deliver help to the emergency victim. This could be a layperson and not someone who can necessarily administer medical treatment. Such an arrangement might be a setback when compared with the more traditional medical transport methods and delivery of medical aid” (Balasingam, 2017).

In conclusion, the implementation and usage of drone technology in the healthcare industry is an idea that we cannot ignore due to its vast possibility and potential. Its benefits like the ability to reach remote areas, transportation of lab samples, specimens and organs that are time-restricted and delivery of portable medical instruments will bring the healthcare industry to the next level.

References

Scott, J., & Scott, C. (2017). Drone delivery models for Healthcare. Proceedings of the 50th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (2017). https://doi.org/10.24251/hicss.2017.399 

Lutkevich, B., & Earls, A. R. (2021, December 7). What is a drone? - definition from whatis.com. IoT Agenda. Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://www.techtarget.com/iotagenda/definition/drone 

Sotera Digital Health: Sotera Digital Health. Sotera Digital Health | Sotera Digital Health. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2022, from http://www.visimobile.com./ 

Uninterrupted ambulatory cardiac monitoring. Uninterrupted Ambulatory Cardiac Monitoring. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://www.irhythmtech.com/ 

Zhao, F., Li, M., & Tsien, J. Z. (2015). Technology platforms for remote monitoring of vital signs in the new era of telemedicine. Expert Review of Medical Devices, 12(4), 411–429. https://doi.org/10.1586/17434440.2015.1050957 

Amukele, T. (2019). Current state of drones in healthcare: Challenges and opportunities. The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine, 4(2), 296–298. https://doi.org/10.1373/jalm.2019.030106 

Balasingam, M. (2017). Drones in medicine - the rise of the machines. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 71(9). https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcp.12989 

Ling, G., & Draghic, N. (2019). Aerial drones for blood delivery. Transfusion, 59(S2), 1608–1611. https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.15195 

Boutilier, J. J., Brooks, S. C., Janmohamed, A., Byers, A., Buick, J. E., Zhan, C., Schoellig, A. P., Cheskes, S., Morrison, L. J., & Chan, T. C. (2017). Optimizing a drone network to deliver automated external defibrillators. Circulation, 135(25), 2454–2465. https://doi.org/10.1161/circulationaha.116.026318 

Sanfridsson, J., Sparrevik, J., Hollenberg, J., Nordberg, P., Djärv, T., Ringh, M., Svensson, L., Forsberg, S., Nord, A., Andersson-Hagiwara, M., & Claesson, A. (2019). Drone delivery of an automated external defibrillator – a mixed method simulation study of bystander experience. Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, 27(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-019-0622-6 

Design Summary - Healthcare Drones (Draft 2)

In the article “Drones May Become ‘The Next Big Thing’ In Healthcare Delivery,” Balasubramanian (2022) proposes the idea of using drone technology or UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in medical industries. UAV is an unmanned aerial vehicle piloted via remote control or onboard computers and previously intended for aerial and military use only. Today, drone technology is widely used in various fields of expertise and exhibits remarkable promise in clinical use. A drone commonly consists of cameras, GPS (Global Positioning System), an onboard computer with AI(Artificial Intelligence) and numerous types of sensors, allowing for better independency and efficient flights (Scott & Scott, 2017). The cameras installed are high-performance, zoom and gimbal Steadicam with tilt capabilities, which helps to produce more accurate, sharper images (Lutkevich, B. & Earls, A. R., 2021). The GPS and onboard computer with AI(Artificial Intelligence) helps the drone to determine its coordinates, improving its navigational accuracy. The sensors equipped on the drone, namely ultrasonic and collision avoidance sensors, help to prevent crashing down and avoid any potential obstacle. In addition, for a healthcare drone, various medical equipment related to first aid measures can be incorporated onto the drone itself, enhancing its life-saving capabilities, such as devices monitoring EKG activity, pulse, blood pressure, temperature, oxygen saturation and ultrasound (Rhythm Technologies, Inc., n.d.; Sotera Wireless, Inc., n.d.; Zhao et al. 2015). Therefore, healthcare industries should implement drone technology into their medical services due to its ability to reach remote areas, transportation of lab samples, specimens and organs that are time-restricted and delivery of portable medical instruments.

References

Scott, J., & Scott, C. (2017). Drone delivery models for Healthcare. Proceedings of the 50th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (2017). https://doi.org/10.24251/hicss.2017.399 

Lutkevich, B., & Earls, A. R. (2021, December 7). What is a drone? - definition from whatis.com. IoT Agenda. Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://www.techtarget.com/iotagenda/definition/drone 

Sotera Digital Health: Sotera Digital Health. Sotera Digital Health | Sotera Digital Health. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2022, from http://www.visimobile.com./ 

Uninterrupted ambulatory cardiac monitoring. Uninterrupted Ambulatory Cardiac Monitoring. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://www.irhythmtech.com/ 

Zhao, F., Li, M., & Tsien, J. Z. (2015). Technology platforms for remote monitoring of vital signs in the new era of telemedicine. Expert Review of Medical Devices, 12(4), 411–429. https://doi.org/10.1586/17434440.2015.1050957 

Design Summary - Healthcare Drones (Draft 1)

In the article “Drones May Become ‘The Next Big Thing’ In Healthcare Delivery,” Balasubramanian (2022) proposes the idea of using drone technology or UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in medical industries. UAV is an unmanned aerial vehicle piloted via remote control or onboard computers and previously intended for aerial and military use only. Today, drone technology is widely used in various fields of expertise and exhibits remarkable promise in clinical use. A drone commonly consists of cameras, GPS (Global Positioning System), an onboard computer with AI(Artificial Intelligence) and numerous types of sensors, allowing for better independency and efficient flights (Scott & Scott, 2017). The cameras installed are high-performance, zoom and gimbal Steadicam with tilt capabilities, which helps to produce better clearer images (Lutkevich, B. & Earls, A. R., 2021). Both the GPS and onboard computer with AI(Artificial Intelligence) helps the drone to determine its coordinates, improving its navigational accuracy. The sensors equipped on the drone, namely ultrasonic and collision avoidance sensors, help to prevent crashing down and avoid any potential obstacle. In addition, for a healthcare drone, various medical equipment related to first aid measures can be incorporated onto the drone itself, enhancing its life-saving capabilities, such as devices monitoring EKG activity, pulse, blood pressure, temperature, oxygen saturation and ultrasound (Rhythm Technologies, Inc., n.d.; Sotera Wireless, Inc., n.d.; Zhao et al. 2015).

References

Scott, J., & Scott, C. (2017). Drone delivery models for Healthcare. Proceedings of the 50th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (2017). https://doi.org/10.24251/hicss.2017.399 

Lutkevich, B., & Earls, A. R. (2021, December 7). What is a drone? - definition from whatis.com. IoT Agenda. Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://www.techtarget.com/iotagenda/definition/drone 

Sotera Digital Health: Sotera Digital Health. Sotera Digital Health | Sotera Digital Health. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2022, from http://www.visimobile.com./ 

Uninterrupted ambulatory cardiac monitoring. Uninterrupted Ambulatory Cardiac Monitoring. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://www.irhythmtech.com/ 

Zhao, F., Li, M., & Tsien, J. Z. (2015). Technology platforms for remote monitoring of vital signs in the new era of telemedicine. Expert Review of Medical Devices, 12(4), 411–429. https://doi.org/10.1586/17434440.2015.1050957 

Critical Thinking: The Soul of Communication

After an in-depth reading of the excerpt, I was appalled that the lack of effective communication can lead to catastrophic financial damage to companies. 

Critical thinking is one of the cornerstones of effective communication. It means the ability to analyse facts and form a judgement. For someone to have critical thinking skills means that one can think clearly and rationally when the situation demands. It allows them to perform problem-solving and decision-making more effectively on all levels.

People often underestimate the importance of effective communication, thinking it does not affect the company's day-to-day operations. However, without effective communication, people will not be able to understand each other well and then create more miscommunication, which could lead to unnecessary conflicts and low morale. 

In conclusion, effective communication is very important to the workplace as it helps to improve efficiency, productivity and trust between employers and employees while avoiding any mistakes that will negatively impact the company.