Surgeons sporting 3-D glasses, and mobile apps that can share ultrasound pictures with loved ones during a check-up illustrate some of the high-tech gadgetry revolutionising the healthcare sector.
Numerous electronics makers are introducing their innovations to the UAE, where spending on health care topped Dh28 billion (US$7.6bn) last year and is forecast to grow more than 8 per cent this year, according to data from Business Monitor International.
Businesses, including smartphone manufacturers, software developers and insurers, are expected to benefit from a growing number of doctors who are turning to mobile phones in particular to more accurately diagnose and examine patients from afar.
"Mobile-enabled health solutions, known as mHealth, are a critical growth area within the healthcare sector today," said Tom Farrell, the vice president of Nokia in the Middle East. "Its potential for growth in emerging markets, both for consumers and healthcare service providers, is considerable."
This is the first year the Arab Health exhibition, which begins tomorrow in Dubai, will be hosting a conference dedicated to mHealth.
The session will showcase how doctors can monitor aspects of a patient remotely, including blood pressure and glucose levels.
"It's being implemented in the US, and moving into Europe - and we're hoping to bring it to the forefront of people's minds in the UAE," said Lisa Stephens, the executive director of the life sciences division at Informa Exhibitions, which puts on Arab Health.
Companies are now pouring millions of dollars into mHealth research and development - even if they have to give money away to spur new ideas.
Last week, the chip maker Qualcomm launched a global competition - with a $10 million prize - to stimulate innovation relating to medical diagnostic technologies amid advancements in artificial intelligence and wireless sensing, which are making health care more affordable and accessible. The winning team will most accurately diagnose diseases - independent of a doctor or hospital - and provide consumers on a mobile device with the best advice.
Within the region Qualcomm has worked with telecommunications operators in Egypt on a health-based app called Mobile Baby, which lets doctors use a mobile to remotely monitor pregnant women in rural parts of the country.
Ziad Matar, the head of the Middle East and Central Asia for Qualcomm, said the app was used as "more of a lifestyle" programme within the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where a pregnant woman can visit their doctor, get an ultrasound then pass video clips and even 3D scans to loved ones through their smartphones.
Other local high-tech firms, including FVC and the telecoms firm du, have demonstrated so-called telemedicine innovations designed to help the UAE's healthcare community.
Mulk Holdings, a company based in Sharjah that works in health care as well as construction materials and renewable energy, launched its first of a dozen telemedicine centres in October. The centres will link medical specialists in the UK and US to patients within the Gulf.
Alcatel-Lucent in the Middle East and Africa said it had "leads" for new business in the Gulf with its "safe campus solutions". Conceived for universities, the technology is now being pitched to hospitals, where alerts - such as a hallway fire or patient emergencies - can be sent directly to a nurse's mobile. The programme also includes a feature that can detect which medical specialist is nearest to a patient, helping to cut waiting times during panic calls from an average of 5 to 10 minutes down to a maximum of 1 minute, said Alcatel.
Some businesses are looking to other segments within the technology sector for growth opportunities.
Sony Professionalclaims to have the first surgery monitor made from a high-definition OLED screen, which is being showcased in the region for the first time at Arab Health. It costs $10,000.
Hospital officials can also see presentations of new 3-D monitors used for complicated surgeries, which retail for $6,000 to $8,000. Surgeons, Sony said, can also "benefit from a smooth, uninterrupted view of multiple monitors whilst wearing light, comfortable, polarized glasses."
Of course, not all of these devices will be a hit among buyers. "It depends on who uses them, and what the intended purpose is," said Peter Kim, who planned to attend Arab Health and is the vice-president of the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at the Children's National Medical Center in the US.
"It all comes down to how you design the system.".
nparmar@thenational.ae
List of officials:
Referees: Chris Broad, David Boon, Jeff Crowe, Andy Pycroft, Ranjan Madugalle and Richie Richardson.
Umpires: Aleem Dar, Kumara Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaffaney, Ian Gould, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Bruce Oxenford, Ruchira Palliyaguruge, Sundaram Ravi, Paul Reiffel, Rod Tucker, Michael Gough, Joel Wilson and Paul Wilson.
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Fixtures
Wednesday January 8 –Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 – Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 – UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
More Iraq election coverage:
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Company%20profile
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Uefa Nations League: How it works
The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.
The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.
Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch (captain), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, David Warner, Adam Zampa
At a glance - Zayed Sustainability Prize 2020
Launched: 2008
Categories: Health, energy, water, food, global high schools
Prize: Dh2.2 million (Dh360,000 for global high schools category)
Winners’ announcement: Monday, January 13
Impact in numbers
335 million people positively impacted by projects
430,000 jobs created
10 million people given access to clean and affordable drinking water
50 million homes powered by renewable energy
6.5 billion litres of water saved
26 million school children given solar lighting
Third Test
Result: India won by 203 runs
Series: England lead five-match series 2-1
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Blue%20Beetle
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The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.