Pokémon Go is an example of a mobile app that is experiencing wild success. The global phenomenon, which is now estimated to generate over one million dollars in revenue every day, is making experts in all industries ask, “How can I achieve similar success?”
Personally, I think the success of Pokémon Go can be attributed to it being a free app with a set of characters that appeal to multiple generations, which happened to be released at the perfect time: during an especially disappointing U.S. presidential election cycle. It’s well known that changes in consumer behavior can be triggered by perceived changes in the economy.
So, let’s take a look at Pokémon Go and what it means for the life sciences and healthcare. In the last few years, there have been incredible improvements in alternate realities. Augmented reality, which Pokémon Go leverages, adds artificial elements to our world. Technically speaking, this requires a camera, smartphone, and some type of global positioning satellite (GPS) service. It’s a reality that is easy to understand; think of a child who has an imaginary friend. Augmented reality actually inserts fictional characters or objects into your world, while maintaining the laws of the world we live in.
Although Pokémon Go puts augmented reality into the public spotlight, there are already life sciences and healthcare companies utilizing this technology, not to mention plenty of potential use cases.
- AccuVein|A hand-held, non-contact vein illumination device that enables healthcare professionals to see a map of peripheral veins directly on the skin’s surface, with the goal of accessing or avoiding veins.
- VIPAAR | In conjunction with Google glass, VIPAAR, short for virtual interactive presence and augmented reality, allows remote users to interact with live images. For example, a surgeon who is off-site can remotely guide someone who is performing the actual procedure.
- 4D Anatomy | A mobile app that can overlay 3D renderings of the skeletal, lymphatic, circulatory, and other systems on a 2D image of the human body. Similar apps can be used to provide 3D renderings of individual organs that give students a view from all angles, for an in-depth understanding of the human body.
- Augmented Reality Drug Information| Have you ever wondered how a particular drug works in your body, but lose interest after reading the plethora of text in a brochure or website? The example picture below shows what a particular drug does as it enters your bloodstream.
While these are just some examples of where augmented reality technology is already being used, you can be sure that there are many more applications in life sciences and healthcare.
Interested in incorporating digital technology into clinical trials? Register for this month’s webinar, as we explore the opportunities and challenges some new and emerging technologies present for the industry.
