In my oppinion the new/innovative medical devices will be used mostly in the developed regions. where their price can be considered affordable. These technologies can be related to genetic engineering, nanotechnology, robotic surgery, etc.

In the developing countries the main issue would be to provide competetent medical services to a population which can not afford the prices payed for similar services in the developed countries. These prestations ought to be better than the services offered by quack-doctors. As for the devices used in these settings

- solar powered mobile devices like B-mode ultrasound, ECG, etc

- IT hard-and software to run applications of computer-aided diagnosis

- telemedicine applications to emulate the presence og a highly trained specialist on a remote location

- devices for transdermal (non-puncturing)/oral/inhalator drug-delivery

Access to safe surgery is a major public health problem. The pulse oximeter from Lifebox Foundation is making a substantial difference to anaesthetic safety:

http://www.lifebox.org/

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/anae.12382/full

Good question - see this site for some answers that have been proposed: www.theiet.org/aht2014. Previous meetings are under the tab 'about the conference'.

Also, please note the upcoming 8th Conference in the series in September this year. Call for papers now open! Answers to Tobias' question will find a good audience there.

Andrew

The main problems in developing countries ignorance and pollution of main resources like water and air, we can't provide rapid solutions for this ,as these problems out of order and only depends on countries' regimes

there are a little efforts in this topic one of them is this video a simple lab on a piece of paper which can't provide any medication but at least you can discover the existence of disease or not

http://www.ted.com/talks/george_whitesides_a_lab_the_size_of_a_postage_stamp.html

I don't know how far a project like that can go , but i think it is really interesting

USCOM is a high fidelity ultrasonic cardiovascular monitor with a proven role in sepsis mortality reduction in adults and children. It's noninvasive and addresses the needs generated by the most rapidly growing and dangerous challenge to global health; sepsis. Accurate and early identification of sepsis with non-invasive technology, and guidance of appropriate therapy helps reduce mortality from this common and critical disease from 20-30% to 5-10%. This device is being used in remote Africa, and not just for wealthy developed economies, where it is equally important.

www.uscom.com.au

There is very hard to forecast development and cost of the technology in developing countries. But it seems some novel devices and therapies will be more accessible. There are some of them within my discipline:

1) Telerehabilitation devices (both very simple and sophisticated) may change face of home and hybrid long-term rehabilitation. Now we have some simple solution based on commercial devices (Kinect, WII). Cardiac, orthopaedic and pulmonary home-based rehabilitation may be simplier, most effective, and access to them may be easier. Possibilities of neurological telerehabilitation are still discussed - it may be possible in simplier, well diagnosed cases.

2) Exoskeletons as whole-body prostheses instead of wheelchairs.

3) Brain-computer interfces and neuroprostheses for the most disabled people.

4) Novel devices for diagnosis, therapy. rehabilitation, and care in patiens with disorders of consciousness.

5) Change toward novel technologies, especially in neurorehabilitation: nanomedicine, regenerative medicine, patient-tailored rehabilitation. Maybe chemically-stimulated recovery of the broken spinal cord is possible?

I'd probably develop the concept even further as Im not sure it is cost alone that limits penetration of useful medical devices into developing countries. Clearly this is cost effectiveness driven, as we are all increasingly understanding. Its important that these devices are accompanied by education and guidance in application. There are very few device "solutions", yet many developments, and their implementation requires specific guidance re indications, operation, and integration with current practices. Sending a device with novel utility, proven in sophisticated clinics is only part of the technology transfer. We specialise in new approaches to treatment of sepsis and septic shock; and dengue fever is a common cause prevalent in Sth America, Africa and Asia. The disease is complex and patient care is complex and can be assisted by devices, but simply applying best Western evidence may not provide the intended benefits. Having said that, education is a limiting factor for the adoption of new technologies in developed systems also. Education is an important support for best intentions and revolutionary devices.

The problem of pollution in all the field is increasing worldwide. The same proportion of people are getting problems due to exposure to new chemicals or its compounds as well exposure to the emits from the machines used in constructions of roads and buildings. The effects are seen in far of places from the place of emission. There is a need to know the detection of allergic substances to the individuals through some simple hand held machines which should be cost effective and simple to get tested the level of allergic to the substance they have exposed.

Need of small size Electronic or digital BP apparatus which gives accurate value when it is used in the field area by the health workers either for detection or for monitoring , school teachers to record their pupils BP in schools especially for the countries like India , Africa and many other Asia , Africa countries. Where resources are limited to afford the common one available now in the market.

I do believe that the new medical device has a potential to change the face of healthcare in developing countries. However, because of the cost of R&D, logistic cost, management cost and etc., the increasing price from the origin is the problem. Not only the cost effectiveness but also the suitable indications are required to concern. Generally, most of novel technology and innovation come from the west. To improve the quality of medical/surgical care with patient safety concern, to be in new trends is very necessary. Particularly in this era of minimally invasive technique, very good quality of imaging and small incision or approach(NOTE) with effective instrument are from those innovation. Even the MIS is not suitable for all patient but this technique is based on new medical device and innovation. This might be the example for the impact of this new medical device and innovation for the developing countries.

If your idea is to improve the health care sector, whatever medical device has the potential to change the face of healthcare in developing countries and all the world. If you are looking for another thing, you have to change the question to: Which what medical devices I could earn much money in developing countries?

I'm really interested in the great technological advances and I'm proud of that but what happens when you discover that many of the health problems in our world (and others like sustainable energy) could be solved or have been solved years ago, but for the companies (like a hundred of pharmaceutical companies dedicated to make medicine to avoid the flue virus) are not profitable because they are going to lose a great market (7.143 billion of people in the world need to buy a flu medicine almost once per month). It a shame !!!

The creation of medical devices is one of my research areas. We are working in the development of a model that defines the characteristics that a device should have to be appropriate for developing countries. The results we have so far have been published here:

Gauthier, A., Cruz, G., Medina, L.A., and Duke, S. (2013). “Design Factors for Medical Device Functionality in Developing Countries.” Proceedings of the Industrial and Systems Engineering Research Conference, San Juan, PR.

Abstract: Advancement in medical technology is one of the ways that health care has been able to continuously improve over the years. In developed countries, almost everyone has access to the medical devices that they need; hospitals are well equipped with clean water and electricity, regulation systems (such as the Food and Drug Administration in the US) ensure that there is proper documentation on machines, and training for personnel is available to allow for the upkeep and proper running of new technologies. However, this is not the case in most of the developing countries around the world where the medical devices they have are often not functional or not appropriate for their resources. One way that this problem can be resolved is through creation of medical devices that are specifically designed for the developing world. Accordingly, this study focused on determining which design factors of medical devices are most important when designing for developing countries. The determination of the importance of a design factor is based on a literature review, a statistical analysis of current products designed for these countries and a survey developed to be sent to individuals who have had heavy involvement with medicine in the developing world.

There is a medical show in August in Miami Beach. Florida, USA where medical device companies from around the world exhibit the latest devices and diagnostic tests, which are often inexpensive. If you or a colleague want to see them all on one exhibit floor, it is worth the trip. The following is the web site for the show: http://www.fimeshow.com/