Digitalisation has long been a feature in the world of medicine. At ETH Zurich’s Digital Health event last Friday and Saturday, more than a hundred guests discovered what this means for diagnosis, therapy and healthcare. Attended by members of the public and professionals from the worlds of science, politics, healthcare and industry, the event offered guests an opportunity to exchange ideas and talk with experts and medical students in a series of debates.
Discovering the medicine of the future
An interactive exhibition in the Dozentenfoyer showed the many ways in which data and technology can be used to benefit our health. ETH Zurich researchers, spin-offs and industry partners gave an insight into what scientific research can offer the world of medicine, including innovative sensors that can be placed on the skin to deliver biomedical data in real time. Visitors had the chance to try out specially designed computer games for movement therapy and learned more about the use of exoskeletons to help people with reduced mobility. Also on display were technologies to assist in training doctors, including a heart operation simulation and a virtual autopsy. Drones to transport medication and tiny computers for use in eye surgery highlighted the potential for robotics in the field of medicine.
On their way to the exhibition, visitors also got the chance to try out a fun and interactive digital platform in the ground-floor main hall: by stepping on the large, transparent surface, they found out more about the complex interrelationships in modern medicine.
Natural sciences for doctors
“Today, around one-third of all ETH researchers are working directly or indirectly on issues related to medicine,” said Lino Guzzella, President of ETH Zurich, at the opening on Friday, highlighting the close relationship between the natural and computer sciences and medicine and healthcare. Last autumn, the University launched a Bachelor in Human Medicine for the very first time. According to Guzzella, the course is a logical progression of ETH’s existing activities: “If we look beyond the training and practice of the medical profession, then ETH has been active in areas related to medicine, such as pharmaceuticals, for more than 160 years.” He went on to add that many medical breakthroughs were only made possible thanks to the life and engineering sciences.
