Hospitals and outpatient clinics are the place to go when you’re sick and you need treatment, but did you know that in the United States, more than 2 million people are affected by hospital-acquired infections every year, 100,000 people die as a result, and it costs an approximate $20 billion to treat these infections.
One area that can help intensely is the ability to input data without really touching physical devices like a keyboard or a mouse, etc.
I remember the last time I went to the dentist. The dentist put his gloves on as a standard practice and checked my teeth, but as he reached for the keyboard to input his findings, he touched the mouse and keyboard which had no disposable cover. The main concern is that these input devices are wiped with a disinfectant cloth but are not cleaned properly. Imagine how many germs from hundreds of patients can collect in the gaps.
A holographic data input device like a keyboard or mouse may help reduce the amount of infections people are exposed to because those will be virtual representations of a keyboard or mouse.
Some people may think that this does not feel natural as they like the ability to physically touch keyboard keys or other input devices. Based on this, a company based out of Tokyo, called HaptoMime, uses reflective surfaces to create a floating virtual screen that you can actually feel. This technology can be used in all examination labs and hospitals where the lab technician or doctor has to come in physical contact with the patient and has to put their findings on the system through input devices like a keyboard or mouse. This technology is in its infancy, but may hold some promise.
An interesting finding – If you are looking for a very simple virtual keyboard, you can find and buy one on Amazon.com.