With the rate of sexually transmitted diseases rising steadily in the United States, especially around college campuses, some British health officials decided help people find out if they have an STD quickly. By urinating on a small USB sized chip and inserting that into your mobile phone, you will immediately be able to tell whether you have been infected or not. This saves people the humiliation of getting checked and saves a lot of time by avoiding doctor's offices. By creating this device, it will hopefully stop the spread of STDs because people would become aware of them immediately and would be able to save future partners.
If this technology is not too expensive (price has not been determined yet), we should see a huge decrease in the STD rate and many lives saved. One of the main reasons that STDs spread is because the carriers of these diseases don't get checked, and continue to unknowingly have relations with different partners, infecting them as well. Another thing that this technology does is that if the user tests positive, the software in the device can tell him where the nearest medical office is in order to get treatment. So this device allows you to avoid the doctor for testing, but if treatment is needed, it will even help you find the treatment you need.
I think this is a great idea because it will help college kids who don't want to have to have their parents set up a doctor's appointment and don't want to go to the school's doctor. With this innovation, they can check themselves easily and discreetly and take the necessary steps for treatment after testing positive. This also saves parents from the scare they experience when they hear their child is getting tested for an STD.
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2010/11/pee_on_your_pho.html
1 comment:
I guess it was only a matter of time until mobile STD testing became possible. This project funded by the British government for 6.5 million dollars, allows a person to be instantly diagnosed by their mobile phone. Mobile testing was set up to cut the rate of infection among the young and to assist those who are too embarrassed to go to the OBGYN or local doctor (1). It seems to be very similar to a home pregnancy test – users will find out quickly and privately if they have been infected. In order to do so, however, you must first urinate on a computer chip and then attach it to your phone to get results.
I’m sure many are relieved knowing that they can avoid humiliation of getting checked for a sexually transmitted disease, avoid time spent in the doctor’s office, and get results instantly. If used effectively, this new innovation could cause more people to get tested, making them more aware and prone to practicing safe sex. Ideally, the STD rate would decline as more people become aware and are able to get treatment.
I do agree that “ideally” this is great idea, but unfortunately, every new advancement has its flaws. Imagine lawsuits that will ensue if someone is misdiagnosed with an incurable STD like hepatitis C or even herpes. I don’t think it is safe to completely rely on new technology when it comes to STD testing; proper and accurate testing is done in clinics, for example. If a user conducted the test wrong, just as many women do with pregnancy tests, they could either think they have some STD that they don’t actually have or they could have overlooked an STD they do have and still infect their partners. False readings would cause users to take it out on the companies who created these new STD detecting mobile chips. On a lighter but logical note, how do you continue using your phone after urinating on it? It is very doubtful that phone carries cover urination damage. Although it seems remarkable, all of the possible things that could go wrong need to be taken into account.
(1) http://news.discovery.com
Post a Comment