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Art, Design and Science, Engineering and Medicine Frontier Collaborations Ideation, Translation, Realization: Seed Idea Group Summaries (2016) / Chapter Skim
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Machines and the Human Biome at the Frontier of Medicine Science
Pages 5-8

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From page 5...
... SUMMARY Teresa L Johnson, NAKFI Science Writing Scholar Johns Hopkins University The group thinking about Machines and the Human Biome at the Frontier of Medicine Science took on the challenge of conceptualizing machines capable of non-invasively entering the gut to monitor, diagnose, or treat human health and disease.
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From page 6...
... Humans coexist with their microbial partners in a symbiotic relationship in which host and microbes benefit one another. The human host provides a nutrient-rich, oxygen-free environment conducive to microbial growth, and in turn the microbes participate in nutrient synthesis and absorption, modulate cell signaling, regulate neuroendocrine systems, and mediate host defense mechanisms.
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From page 7...
... The team identified several areas of expertise required: • complex systems modeling • sonification/sonic analysis • sensor design • crowdfunding/documentary • wearable technologies • health sciences • technology transfer/intellectual property • others The group imagined several possible implementation schemes for their InnerNet, including utilization of external intimate contact sensors in clothing or temporary tattoos; internal devices such as BioSilk, a novel, patentable sensor/microphone array that can interface with an individual's smart phone or smart home, and provide real-time analysis of anomalies within the gut; and others. Sensor output will emphasize causal triggers that stand out from ambient background noise.
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From page 8...
... The team anticipates rapid dissemination of the newly developed technology to developing nations, ensuring widespread access to the new medical devices, especially in low-resource settings, and providing a layer of healthcare not currently available.
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Key Terms

  • human gut
  • treat human
  • gut function
  • gut interface
  • health concerns

  • medical devices
  • smart phone
  • cell biology
  • science writing
  • including utilization

  • molecular cell
  • cell signaling
  • ambient background
  • diverse ecology
  • display community

  • medicine science
  • mediate host
  • inhabit specialized
  • intimate contact
  • emphasize causal

  • including autism
  • ensuring widespread
  • external environments
  • anticipates rapid
  • modulate human

  • team anticipates
  • nakfi science
  • highly conserved
  • abdomen provides
  • microbes participate


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