A systematic review of game technologies for pediatric patients

[EN] Children in hospital are subjected to multiple negative stimuli that may hinder their development and social interactions. Although game technologies are thought to improve children's experience in hospital, there is a lack of information on how they can be used effectively. This paper presents a systematic review of the literature on the existing approaches in this context to identify gaps for future research. A total of 1305 studies were identified, of which 75 were thoroughly analyzed according to our review protocol. The results show that the most common approach is to design mono-user games with traditional computers or monitor-based video consoles, which serve as a distractor or a motivator for physical rehabilitation for primary school children undergoing fearful procedures such as venipuncture, or those suffering chronic, neurological, or traumatic diseases/injures. We conclude that, on the one hand, game technologies seem to present physical and psychological benefits to pediatric patients, but more research is needed on this. On the other hand, future designers of games for pediatric hospitalization should consider: 1. The development for kindergarten patients and adolescents, 2. Address the psychological impact caused by long-term hospitalization, 3. Use collaboration as an effective game strategy to reduce patient isolation, 4. Have purposes other than distraction, such as socialization, coping with emotions, or fostering physical mobility, 5. Include parents/caregivers and hospital staff in the game activities; and 6. Exploit new technological artifacts such as robots and tangible interactive elements to encourage intrinsic motivation.This work is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the European Development Regional Fund (EDRF-FEDER) with Project TIN2014-60077-R.El Jurdi, S.; Montaner-Marco, J.; García Sanjuan, F.; Jaén Martínez, FJ.; Nácher-Soler, VE. (2018). A systematic review of game technologies for pediatric patients. Computers in Biology and Medicine. 97:89-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compbiomed.2018.04.019S891129

The future of laboratory medicine - A 2014 perspective.

Predicting the future is a difficult task. Not surprisingly, there are many examples and assumptions that have proved to be wrong. This review surveys the many predictions, beginning in 1887, about the future of laboratory medicine and its sub-specialties such as clinical chemistry and molecular pathology. It provides a commentary on the accuracy of the predictions and offers opinions on emerging technologies, economic factors and social developments that may play a role in shaping the future of laboratory medicine

Focal Spot, Summer 1986

https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/focal_spot_archives/1043/thumbnail.jp

Taking the lead: learners’ experiences across the disciplines

The first year at university is a time of significant flux for students, as they adjust to unfamiliar environments, encounter new approaches to teaching and develop fresh learning strategies on the road to becoming self-directed learners. This sense of uncertainty may be compounded by the need to interact with unfamiliar and frequently complex online systems and technologies, possibly even before arrival. Furthermore, although technology is embedded seamlessly into the personal lives of many of today’s students, recent reports have questioned the widespread assumption that young adults have the sophisticated information skills and digital literacy needed to become autonomous learners. In this paper we present findings from a recently-completed study addressing these important issues. We investigated the utilisation of ICT and learning technologies by first-year undergraduates from a variety of different entry routes and academic disciplines, including Physics, Divinity and Veterinary Medicine, at the University of Edinburgh. The focus of the work was on the impact of technology on students’ transition to university and how this changed as they progressed through their first year. The overall shape of the research was based on a student-centred approach, with students’ own views and opinions placed central to the study; and used a holistic approach in which students’ use of e-learning and technology was set within the context of their learning experiences as a whole. To capture the breadth and complexity of their experiences we used a mixed-mode approach, including a series of reflective diaries recorded by learners (in video, audio or text format) together with surveys and focus groups. Students do not form a homogenous group, and findings in this area are inevitably complex. They have high expectations and are generally confident with technology; however, they may not always recognise technology’s potential to support and enhance learning. The term e-learning does not mean much to them; there is simply learning with strands of technology running through. This is reflected in a strong desire for face-to-face contact, with technology used to supplement and enhance this. Students are social, with informal group learning often facilitated by technology. They find their comfort zones and ways of working that are personal to them, and use technology to suit their own way of learning

Affective Medicine: a review of Affective Computing efforts in Medical Informatics

Background: Affective computing (AC) is concerned with emotional interactions performed with and through computers. It is defined as “computing that relates to, arises from, or deliberately influences emotions”. AC enables investigation and understanding of the relation between human emotions and health as well as application of assistive and useful technologies in the medical domain. Objectives: 1) To review the general state of the art in AC and its applications in medicine, and 2) to establish synergies between the research communities of AC and medical informatics. Methods: Aspects related to the human affective state as a determinant of the human health are discussed, coupled with an illustration of significant AC research and related literature output. Moreover, affective communication channels are described and their range of application fields is explored through illustrative examples. Results: The presented conferences, European research projects and research publications illustrate the recent increase of interest in the AC area by the medical community. Tele-home healthcare, AmI, ubiquitous monitoring, e-learning and virtual communities with emotionally expressive characters for elderly or impaired people are few areas where the potential of AC has been realized and applications have emerged. Conclusions: A number of gaps can potentially be overcome through the synergy of AC and medical informatics. The application of AC technologies parallels the advancement of the existing state of the art and the introduction of new methods. The amount of work and projects reviewed in this paper witness an ambitious and optimistic synergetic future of the affective medicine field

Integration of computer technology into the medical curriculum: The King's experience

King's College London has developed a new curriculum which prepares students to deliver a high‐quality clinical service. A variety of active‐learning techniques are utilized to produce a deep approach to learning with an emphasis on vocational needs in the domains of knowledge, attitudes and skills. Integration of academic and clinical studies, as recommended by the General Medical Council (GMC), poses a number of difficulties, particularly in terms of communication between disparate geographical sites. The new curriculum aims to take advantage of computer technology to supplement and enhance traditional methods of learning and to ensure that students are competent in a defined range of skills. To aid integration, all students joining the new course are offered notebook computers and enhanced access to desktop computers, both with facilities to link to the main network This allows students to use multimedia material incorporated into the new curriculum and to access online services from remote locations. This paper reviews the integration of such computer technology into the new medical curriculum at King's