The Future of Tech in Surveillance 

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Robots, drones and surveillance: The unexpected future of healthcare and medicine

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But it's becoming increasingly clear that technology can play a role in helping doctors deal with the ever-rising pressure to deliver more services. The response to the coronavirus crisis, which has seen the broad adoption of everything from video conferencing to AI, is unlikely to be undone; expect the future of healthcare to feature more data analysis and automation.

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The rise of the mechanical medic 

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Robots could offer a way of delivering hospital care while reducing the chances of person-to-person transmissions. 

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Prior to COVID-19, robots were mostly used in operating theatres, under the control of surgeons. Now the virus is seeing robots take up new roles in hospitals such as self driving robots that can disinfect wards of bacteria and viruses using UV light. Robots that can check vital signs, whole telepresence robots enable doctors and patients to talk without having to be physically together.

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Drones

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Along with robots, drones are being enlisted as a way of stopping the person-to-person spread of coronavirus.

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Drone delivery of medicines and supplies to traditionally underserved communities is likely to take off in a more significant way post-pandemic, provided the economics can be made to work. But as with the various contact-tracing apps being used, there are big questions about how drones and of other surveillance technologies in an emergency context could end up reducing our privacy.

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AI and app-based surveillance

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Since the start of the pandemic, governments and health authorities around the world have turned to mobile apps as a way of monitoring the health or movement of their populations. 

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Apps for contact tracing have been rolled out in a number of countries, as a means of identifying those who have been in contact with individuals that went on to contract COVID-19, often using Bluetooth data from their phones. Symptom-tracker apps have also been launched by numerous governments and health authorities. 

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Whats next for tech and surveillance?