Disruptive Technology Stops You Spilling Your Coffee

At the healthcare conference in San Francisco I attended earlier this week, there were over 400 companies presenting, hundreds more present, plus investors, advisors etc, showcasing all the latest solutions to make us healthier - from AI, to robots, genetics, nanotech, diagnostics etc - all the latest solutions to disrupt the healthcare sector and replace the current old fashioned way of doing things. Who needs a doctor when you have an algorithm?

All very impressive, and I hope I live long enough to be able to benefit from it. As a little boy, I told my mum I didn't need to eat healthily, as when I grew up there would be technology to fix any health problems. She said that when she was a little girl, she told her mum the same thing - turns out, we were both wrong!

At the event, a man tripped over and bashed his head. As he lay on the ground, with blood pouring from the wound, what was noticeable was that everyone stared, rather than going over to help him. One of these tech CEO's turned to me & said, "If you invest $20 million in my business, in 3 years time, we will have a solution for that man". Turns out, none of the companies in the room had anything yet that was able to stop the bleeding - algorithms apparently don't work as well as plasters. But they will one day be able to tell you how quickly the blood is flowing, the impact blood loss is having on your vital signs, and what supplements you need to take to get back to health - assuming you have the money to pay for it, as with billion dollar+ valuations, their service will not come cheap.

Some of the technology present did have a current practical use - I found a business plan that was exactly what I was looking for....to put under the leg of the table to stop it wobbling & spilling my coffee.