Week 4

Medicine + Technology + Art

   From the lectures this week, one aspect that stood out to me most was Vesna's explanation of Diane Gromala's work and research on the treatment of chronic pain through visualization and biofeedback therapy. Visualization involves using the power of the mind to create mental images that promote relaxation and reduce anxiety, whereas biofeedback therapy uses technology to help one learn how to control their physiological responses to stress. Gromala "uses her own body to try to find solutions while creating an art piece for others to experience" with the aim of aiding those who also experience chronic pain. Currently, she is working to certify two of her VR systems with Health Canada and the FDA in order to deploy them in the real world (SFU). This reminded me of a video I watched in week one that discussed how the percentage of children diagnosed with ADHD has risen with the growth of standardized testing (Robinson). In agreement with the idea that students face significant pressure, I contend that the overmedication of children with prescribed psychotropic drugs is a major issue. These medications are often used as a quick fix that can ignore the root of the problem. As medicine and technology continue to advance, there is hope that future alternatives, similar to what Gromala is researching, will become more widely adopted. 




   As for my own personal experience with medical technologies, during my sophomore year of high school, I was fortunate to gain a hands-on experience with the DaVinci surgical system robot. Each month at my high school, we have multiple speakers come in and discuss important global issues or current events. This forum is called the Society of Skeptics and I was able to attend Dr. Benjamin Schwartz's Skeptics in 2018. In his more recent talk, Dr. Schwartz explains that the DaVinci robot does not have artificial intelligence and it is not programmed to do procedures but instead, it functions as an extension of the surgeon's hands, allowing for greater precision and control during surgeries. In the nineties, he was involved in robotic procedures that used satellites, allowing the team to operate on patients in the Middle East from Cleveland, Ohio. 


Link to Dr. Schwartz's Society of Skeptics Talk from 2021: https://vimeo.com/644494605




Works Cited
Sources:

    “Diane Gromala.” School of Interactive Arts & Technology - Simon Fraser University, https://www.sfu.ca/siat/people/research-faculty/diane-gromala.html.

    Hong, Paula. “Dr. Benjamin Schwartz P'21 Visits Society of Skeptics.” Blair Academy, https://www.blair.edu/athletics/athletics-at-blair/post/~board/news/post/dr-benjamin-schwartz-p21-visits-society-of-skeptics.
    
    Vesna, Victoria. “Medicine + Technology + Art Lecture Part 3”. BruinLearn, https://bruinlearn.ucla.edu/courses/160989/pages/unit-4-view?module_item_id=5946331.
    
    Vesna, Victoria. “Medicine + Technology + Art Lecture Part 4”. BruinLearn, https://bruinlearn.ucla.edu/courses/160989/pages/unit-4-view?module_item_id=5946331.

    Robinson, Ken “RSA Animate: Changing Education Paradigms.” YouTube, YouTube, 14 Oct. 2010, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U&t=700s.


Images:

    “Diane Gromala.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Mar. 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Gromala.

    Hong, Paula. “Dr. Benjamin Schwartz P'21 Visits Society of Skeptics.” Blair Academy, https://www.blair.edu/athletics/athletics-at-blair/post/~board/news/post/dr-benjamin-schwartz-p21-visits-society-of-skeptics.

    “Regional West Health Services.” Da Vinci Robotic Surgery System | Regional West Health Services, https://www.rwhs.org/services/surgical-clinics/da-vinci-robotic-surgery-system.

    “The Overmedicated.” ADHD Become Aware, 13 May 2015, https://adhdbecomeaware.wordpress.com/the-overmedicated/.

 


Comments

  1. Clara KennedyApril 29, 2023 at 5:12 PM

    Hi Sofia! I really liked your explanation of the DaVinci robot for surgical purposes and how it functions not as a form of artificial intelligence but instead as an extension of the surgeon themselves. It brings back thoughts from the week about robotics and art and the discussions on bionics. Rather than attempting to create full robots to replace the mechanization of humans, it attempts to enhance the human potential. I wonder if further innovations of this sort could transform other industries and allow for more integration of complex thought and decision-making into mechanized systems via greater human involvement in a switch back from the full industrialization and removal of human involvement.

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  2. scott_lin_desma9April 30, 2023 at 9:02 PM

    Hi Sofia! I think it's really interesting that you mention the da Vinci robot. To me, it's a really interesting example of how important our perception of medicine and robotics is, which depends on design and art. The efficacy of the da Vinci robot is improving surgery outcomes is actually still debated a lot, with many surgeons thinking it does not actually improve their ability to perform a surgery. What is more consistent is that patients feel more comfortable when the surgery is done with the robot, even though there isn't statistical evidence that some surgeries are better with it. I'm sure there are also surgeons who feel more comfortable using the robot than not, and maybe there is some placebo effect that actually improves surgical outcomes. I'm curious about what your emotional reaction to seeing the robot was like, and how the design and presentation of it changed your opinion about it.

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