Like many, I love finding out about how technology is shaping our lives and changing society.  Deloitte's new research on smartphones here gives some interesting insights.  But what does it mean for the life sciences?  It seems to me rather unlikely that a smartphone company would adapt their hardware specifically for medical device applications, but these phones already have powerful functionality that can be co-opted (the various sensors used for fitness applications and the like). While a phone ought not replace a dedicated glucose level monitor for example (or even more vital devices you don't want to be without!), a smartphone can provide a user friendly interface to manage such devices and provide remote monitoring for the physician.

So where's the catch?  To me the challenges faced are even more amplified for medical applications - a properly designed GUI for the small screen, reliability and accuracy, and above all ensuring security and data privacy!  Regulation still has a long way to go, and until medical device companies evolve to include employees with the necessary new skills in their design teams they won't be able to fully exploit the opportunities the new tech brings, but I am confident that that new world will come soon!