What Progress In Extended Reality Means For The Future Of Health Tech
Dani Mariano, President of Razorfish.
When I think about my own personal investments in smart health technology, I think about my Samsung Galaxy Ring. I love having the ability to see my sleep and energy scores and my stress levels, and the natural next frontier for me is to connect my ring data with my medical data. Based on what I saw at CES in January, health tech on a larger scale is becoming very real.
Over the past decade, I've kept a close eye on the fascinating developments in extended reality (XR), which encompasses virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality. While on the CES show floor, I wore glasses with navigation systems and interactive capabilities built in (and they were far more comfortable than bulky headsets). I saw haptic devices that enhance every sense but smell, but I'm sure ones with 'smell-o-vision' will be incorporated before we know it. Even being in the presence of the Las Vegas Sphere reminded me of what was possible: The future will be immersive, generative and connected.
Historically, XR's complexity and cost have held it back, but the market is pushing forward, forecasted to reach $1.6 trillion by 2032. This technology has a lot of potential, as XR is being used in entertainment, education and vocational training. It also has immense potential in health and wellness technology, where experiences can ultimately change consumers' lives.
My agency has consumer technology clients with products in this space, and we also have healthcare clients. Part of our role is to advise them on emerging technology like XR and how they can apply it to the experiences they're creating for consumers.
Integrating personal health management into your day-to-day life, rather than considering it solely at routine checkups or appointments, is the future that XR is poised to enable. Through headsets, glasses, haptic devices and other wearables, this technology can track health data, changes and progress in greater detail, making the experience interactive and multisensory, and turning data into actionable recommendations.
Being more hands-on with their health can give people the knowledge and motivation to be stronger, more vocal advocates for themselves, with the potential to reduce healthcare costs and ultimately improve health outcomes.
At SXSW in March, futurist Amy Webb spoke of innovation moving so fast that what's new this morning is old by this afternoon. She previously predicted that more accurate health data is poised to bring breakthroughs such as personalized medication and healthcare plans. But the promise of technology like AI and XR, alongside individual health data collection, can be difficult to forecast.
The intersection of XR and health tech presents significant opportunities but also challenges in data privacy. As the technology evolves and adoption grows, more user data is being collected than ever. It makes sense that some consumers may be more hesitant than others to share their information, making it crucial for brands to handle it responsibly to maintain their trust.
It's clear that this technology has the potential to inspire positive health advocacy and a proactive approach to personal wellness. But you must ensure you hear these privacy concerns and allow them to guide your progress.
While so much of the focus is on the technology and its capabilities, don't forget the person behind every data point. Prioritizing empathy and understanding within each application of XR can ensure you're not only entertaining but also educating and empowering people throughout their health advocacy journeys. This isn't just about developing better devices with the ability to track more health checks—it means intuitive, human-centric experiences that directly match users' needs.
One progressive step is to train users on the health technology they're using, whether it be wearables or other devices, to understand their capabilities and limitations. This step can more accurately set expectations and also ensure users aren't being put at risk by wrongfully assuming a device will monitor them for a particular condition.
As close as we might be to an XR breakthrough, many hurdles lie ahead. XR has come a long way, as a Gartner study from 2022 revealed that 55% of respondents were currently deploying XR in their organizations, and of those who hadn't, 43% were in the planning or development stage. However, obstacles still remain regarding price and convenience, with opportunities for further improvement. Healthcare is also an industry with heavy regulatory enforcement and ethical considerations. In addition, we can't ignore the digital divide these advancements create, where equity and accessibility generate barriers preventing people from benefiting from this health tech innovation.
This opportunity to transform health and wellness experiences with XR is one that companies must carefully navigate, and you must steer yourself in a direction that benefits users and patients first. But one thing is clear: This technology has the potential to enhance human experiences in meaningful ways and reshape the future of health advocacy. I'm excited about the possibilities to empower people to be more proactive in their personal health journeys with tech at their fingertips, and how XR can make those experiences even more immersive, captivating and valuable.
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