The Future of Technology

Technology has truly impacted and improved our lives with everything we engage in and process today. If we look at all the technology at our disposal and reflect upon how far we have come from a mere decade ago, it is remarkable and inspiring to imagine where it will take us in the years to come. Technology is an incredibly powerful tool to propel us forward, efficiently and with benefits unrealized from our predecessors' processes. Surely, you can bear testament to multiple technological advancements that affected you and your life—both professionally and personally—in a fantastic way, such that going back to how things were is neither imaginable nor desirable. I spend a lot of time investigating, pondering, strategizing, and implementing innovative technologies and advancements, and it never ceases to amaze me.

Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking at a summit on innovation and networking. There I also participated in a continuing education course that was conducted completely in virtual reality. It was interesting and inspiring to see the level of excitement as all participants gathered in a completely virtual venue and interacted with the lecturer, his content, and one another. We were able to visualize aspects of his presentation and anatomical structures in 3D, which we would not have been able to in the conventional format. Could this be a format for future educational events, or perhaps a communication tool for laboratories and clinicians to collaborate with each other and their patients throughout the treatment protocol? Whatever becomes the future norm, it will be interesting to follow and stay abreast of it so we can gain the greatest benefits of innovative and emerging technology.