Smart teeth can "differentiate between chewing, speaking, coughing, and smoking 94 percent of the time." You can imagine the information that various sensors could provide to dentists and doctors. Living up to the male stereotype, I hate going to the doctor, I often think it is a waste of time. I tend to 'tough it out' or self-medicate unless I have a lingering illness or serious injury. If there were sensors that I could swallow or implant in my body that would track my health, I would be an early adopter.
Initial applications will be collecting supplementary data for doctors, but I am looking forward to the day where something can instantly and correctly diagnose any disease, virus, or infection. Automation of the knowledge worker is a current hot topic... imagine automation of physicians. Sensors could instantly diagnose and prescribe treatment. Robotics are already being experimented with in surgeries.
I'm curious if any of you think more advance versions of products like smart teeth will catch on and how many of you would be willing to put proven sensors in your own body. (Admittedly decades away).
Fun topic, Paul. I don't know how excited I'd get about smart teeth, but over the past 10 years I've been happy to train with a heart rate monitor when I think it will provide useful information. I'd be interested in some more health, wellness, and fitness metrics as they become available. Once upon a time I did a VO2 max test, and I think it would be cool to have similar details in real time. There's certainly some kind of market for self-measurement out there; plenty of people are willing to buy Nike and Jawbone's bracelets and put their results on Facebook.
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