Here is a technology that is fast developing, the Holomer technology. Holomer or more precisely HOLO-graphic M-edical E-lectronic R-epresentation is a three dimensional digital record of a person obtained through the use of various medical scanning devises such as the CT scan, MRI scan, ultra sonic scan and other such machines. Most of these are in use at present. Thus it is not at all futuristic as it might appear at first, though some of the concepts involved are a bit futuristic at this moment The combined out put of these machines are integrated to form a single body of information to produce a holographic image( now a computer image) of the person under study. The image created thus is called the holomer of the person. In the year 2001 when these novel information was coming out the image obtained in this manner was still being viewed on a computer monitor. But Dr. RM Satava, MD, FACS , formerly of Yale University was of the view that “based upon technology in the laboratories today, they will be displayed as three dimensional holographic suspended images” He was also optimistic that the holomer would enable us to create human surrogate in cyberspace - an informational equivalent of the person in bits and bytes.
What this means is that the data collected through the technology is as comprehensive as to act as a substitute for the real person as far as medical treatment is concerned. The image would be containing “not only anatomically precise information, but also physiologic, biologic, genetic, demographic and other information” This provides the doctors with a great advantage. For one thing it makes diagnosis easy. All data relevant to a particular form of disease can be retrieved from the holomer to form a visual medical record. Also it can become an educational tool for the patient. The physicians can explain to the patient what actually the problem with their health is.
Its applications do not end there. Surgeons stand to gain much from this technology. If a complicated operation, such as the brain surgery is to be performed, they can use the holomer image to practice the surgery till it is perfect before conducting it on the person. This is already in use especially in neuro and orthopedic surgery. The technology has an added benefit in that at the time of the surgery the image could be overlaid on the real organ, enhanced by detailed representation of internal structure such as blood vessels, bile ducts etc by employing data fusion. This would lighten the load of the surgeon conceivably. The images can also be used to study the pre operation and post operation situation and conditions of the patient.
But the doctor believed that these are only some of the fundamental changes in the offing. Soon every one would be having a holomer and “This image can in the future become a surrogate for an individual." The images would make it possible for the doctors to actually show the patients how some of their actions affect their bodies such as smoking. He had made a rather interesting observation too.
"It goes back to [the game of] Dungeons and Dragons," he said. "We learned there that people get very attached to their avatars." Patients also would own the data, so they could sell it to pharmaceutical companies and other groups for research databases. Dr. Satava predicted that this type of information resource would be of immense value to researchers”
Well, on the reverse, our good doctor is currently employed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or Darpa which has a dubious reputation as regards human rights. It is the research arm of the Pentagon and is interested in everything that affects an individual human being in general. The doctor now a professor of surgery at the University of Washington in Seattle was chosen for his work and idea’s on holomer. He is in charge of a project called the Virtual Soldier.
The pentagon wants to create a virtual soldier from the data gained through the methods earlier discussed in the article and based on its real life subject. They claim that this would make it easy to medically supervise their soldiers when in action. They are also not selfish it seems (!) for they have asserted that,
“Everyone,.could one day carry around an electronic copy of his or her anatomy -- maybe as soon as 10 years from now. Every single person in the United States will have an electronic medical record”
In his new ‘avatar’ Satva has this to say about his project.
“Every sonogram, X-ray or CT scan could automatically update the holomer, offering a detailed picture of what's going on inside the body at that very moment.
Handheld ultrasound scanners, the real world's analog to Star Trek's tricorders, already are in early market stages. Medical monitors to track pulse, body temperature and the like are supposed to be woven into the next generation of soldier uniforms. And computer programs are starting to take a stab at diagnosing patients. Combine these advances with the holomer, and combat medics might have instant, automatic diagnoses of the wounded.
The holomer also might be able to use predictive algorithms to look into the body's future.”
Some experts are still calling the program as a bit ambitious. Yet some of them think it is doable. But satva is confident about the outcome of the research. He has also a time frame of ten years in mind for the fruition of the technology. He is not satisfied with viewing the image on a computer screen. He believes that with the full backing of the US Government for the project it would show results in the near future. Some of the things he said are notable.
"This is going to happen much quicker than any of (the naysayers) anticipate," he said. "They have no idea what's available now to us, let alone what's going to be available in the next five to 10 years. They're so far behind the (computer processing) power curve."
This is a fact some of the TI’s been shouting at the top of their voice for sometime now, and went unheeded. “Having no idea of what is currently available to them” is what is causing all this heart burn for the afflicted. This hearing it straight from the horse’s mouth. Is anybody listening?
Satva also sees a connection between his program and one other program of the DARPA . It is called the life log. The effort in Life log is similar. It intends at capturing all the activities ( reading, seeing and hearing) of a person to create an “other” of the man on computers.
He has mentioned Oscar Wilds famous Dorian Gray in this connection. It could not be a mere coincidence, could it be? It struck me as strange at first. But on a deeper analysis I found it as the most natural of all things he could say. On the surface it looks like an innocent analogy. But in reality Wilds Dorian Gray is the modern inhuman culture in a nutshell, the evil self is hidden in an attic, the image carry’s on with out any concern in the world whatsoever.
There might come a time when somebody rends this piece of filth, carefully concealed in the garret, thus ending this vile apology of a culture altogether.
These are links you might want to look up:
http://www.websurg.com/ref/doi-ed01en0004.htm
http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/news/2003/08/60016
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