Implantable Health Trackers: Are They in Our Future?

[Samantha Hamilton]

If you asked me how many calories I ate today, my answer would probably be off. Far off. Not intentionally, of course. But, human nature would make me recount my portions as smaller and might even make me forget that small chocolate chip cookie. It’s human engineering.

The same would go for asking me my weight, activity level or even how many drinks I typically have in a week. It’s innocent enough, really just a preservation tactic to make others perceive me as being healthier. I also don’t think I’m alone. I think that most of you reading this probably do the same thing. Go on, admit it. It’s okay.

Unfortunately, these small omissions and miscalculations can have serious health implications. The solution? What about a small device that can track this information and automatically feed it to your doctor? Today, Mashable reported on Sonny Vu of Misfit Wearables’ device that would do just that. Vu’s idea is a small, unobtrusive monitoring device that can fit seamlessly in to clothing and objects you already use every day.

Vu’s intention is to eliminate the choice in monitoring one’s healthcare—instead making it a background part of day-to-day life, something that an individual user doesn’t have to think about. He also believes that devices like these will help lower healthcare costs, by helping to prevent chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease.

The device Vu describes would be great for monitoring vital signs like heartbeat and blood pressure and tracking daily activity, but what about more… internal symptoms? Taking Vu’s idea one step forward, what if the device was discreetly implanted on your arm instead of your t-shirt? That would allow it to monitor for much more in-depth data, and the benefits would only increase.

The idea may seem off in the distant future, but how far away are we really? I think it could have a great impact on healthcare, allowing doctors to accurately track trends and diagnose illnesses in a way that they’ve never been able to before.

If your doctor offered you an implantable tracker, would you do it?