3 ms·

Not much. This probably only marginally improves a patient's quality of life beyond what we were already capable of providing with existing systems. It's better

Not much. This probably only marginally improves a patient's quality of life beyond what we were already capable of providing with existing systems. It's better than nothing of course, since you made a general point about medical research, the life expectancy of the average American has only gone up 5 years over the past 40 years (excluding declines due to COVID).

uniqueuid 5y ago
I would strongly disagree. The decreasing life expectancy in the US is probably, ahem, largely attributed to a medical system that is not particularly well-optimized for boosting mass life expectancy (despite being world-class in absolute quality of care, I assume). If you look closely, past decades have brought immense breakthroughs such as - the first completely synthetic new antibiotic - dramatic improvements in spatial and temporal resolution of imaging systems (MRI, PET etc.) - actually useful robotic assistance for surgery - easy, simple, and widespread techniques that are nevertheless life-saving, including a broad awareness for important events such as cardiac arrest and stroke - much better, faster and more accurate laboratory work, down to the DNA level And that's only a fraction of it which a layman such as myself can come up with from the top of my head!
- TaupeRanger 5y ago
  Unless those things help people live longer or better (with scientific evidence to show such an effect) they are interesting developments with no actual impact on patients. Do people treated with surgical robots live longer or better? Has the synthetic antibiotic helped average patients live longer or better? So far, we only see very marginal improvements, and at massive, constantly increasing costs.
sterlind 5y ago
I'm struggling to understand what you mean. Finally being able to communicate strikes you as "only marginally" improved? You really don't think that being able to talk to family, say that you're in pain, ask for an audiobook, helps much at all? And then you mention life expectancy, which is quantity of life.
- TaupeRanger 5y ago
  There are other systems that provide this ability. This system is not the first and is not the only thing that allows one with this condition to communicate. This is mostly a fluff piece. Quantity and quality both matter.
sizzle 5y ago
Who says this isn’t the beginning of a revolution of not being tethered to our meat bag bodies?

uniqueuid 5y ago

I would strongly disagree. The decreasing life expectancy in the US is probably, ahem, largely attributed to a medical system that is not particularly well-optimized for boosting mass life expectancy (despite being world-class in absolute quality of care, I assume). If you look closely, past decades have brought immense breakthroughs such as - the first completely synthetic new antibiotic - dramatic improvements in spatial and temporal resolution of imaging systems (MRI, PET etc.) - actually useful robotic assistance for surgery - easy, simple, and widespread techniques that are nevertheless life-saving, including a broad awareness for important events such as cardiac arrest and stroke - much better, faster and more accurate laboratory work, down to the DNA level And that's only a fraction of it which a layman such as myself can come up with from the top of my head!

TaupeRanger 5y ago
Unless those things help people live longer or better (with scientific evidence to show such an effect) they are interesting developments with no actual impact on patients. Do people treated with surgical robots live longer or better? Has the synthetic antibiotic helped average patients live longer or better? So far, we only see very marginal improvements, and at massive, constantly increasing costs.

sterlind 5y ago

I'm struggling to understand what you mean. Finally being able to communicate strikes you as "only marginally" improved? You really don't think that being able to talk to family, say that you're in pain, ask for an audiobook, helps much at all? And then you mention life expectancy, which is quantity of life.

TaupeRanger 5y ago
There are other systems that provide this ability. This system is not the first and is not the only thing that allows one with this condition to communicate. This is mostly a fluff piece. Quantity and quality both matter.

sizzle 5y ago

Who says this isn’t the beginning of a revolution of not being tethered to our meat bag bodies?