The Knowledge to Decide

Robots are now prevalent across many industries, not only heavy manufacturing. Today’s robots are more precise and can be controlled remotely, which is why there is a preference for them over error-prone humans in some parts of the services industry. With over 179,000 industrial robots sold worldwide in 2013, robots are now set to conquer a new arena – the household. What is a robot? The first thing that comes to mind when the word robot is uttered is a machine that imitates a human being, such as the androids from Hollywood’s Star Wars or Terminator movies. The reality, though, is that the hundreds of thousands of industrial robots operating in the world resemble high-tech machinery more than high-tech humanoids. A robot is defined as a programmable, self-controlled device with electrical, electronic or mechanical units. Robots have some advantages over humans when it comes to work – they have better physical endurance and are more adept at working under uncomfortable or da

Shanghai is set to become the next hub for quality healthcare services as new hospitals collaborate with established industry players. Will Chinese medical tourists check in at home for medical treatment? Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his insights in the Asian version of Japan’s Nikkei newspaper. Home to a population of 23 million – where 53% of the population is middle class and above – the city of Shanghai continues to lure more foreign investors in the healthcare segment for the affluent. Raffles Medical Group, Singapore’s premium private healthcare provider, has set foot in Shanghai with its first overseas hospital, part of a wider trend of premium healthcare service providers setting up shop in the city. Perera highlighted that the growth in healthcare services has been fuelled by the government’s policy shift to allow more foreign ownership of hospitals. The intent behind this is perhaps to retain some of the 60,000 me

Augmented reality (AR) technology is about to change the dynamics of the user experience. Google Glass is now providing a technology with a new telepresence system, which permits two surgeons to cooperate on an operation together, regardless of location. The University of Alabama’s surgical team has performed the first AR surgery using an AR system called VIPAAR, in collaboration with Google Glass. This system allows surgeons to discuss and interact during a surgical procedure in real-time; enabling the remote surgeon to be “hands-on” during the procedure. Moreover, this technology is sprawling across various platforms. QR code-enabled children’s books contain hidden videos and internet-operated “pop up images” reinforcing the story. The holographic nature of the technology allows board games, sandboxes and even roller coasters to come to life! Could AR technology truly transform the user experience of the future? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/sp