Human augmentation

Posted: January 5th, 2023

Human augmentation – Assessment 3

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Table of Content

1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………3
2. Describing the Technology…………………………………………………………3
3. Foreign Company Applying the Technology………………………………………4
4. Constraints…………………………………………………………………………..6
5. Adopted Solutions………………………………………………………………….7
6. UAE Organization that can benefit from Optimizing the Technology…………….8
7. Impact of the Trend…………………………………………………….…………..8
8. Differentiation…………………………………………………………….…….….8
9. Cost Leadership…………………………………………………………….………9
10. Customer Responsiveness………………………………………………………….9
11. Recommendations…………………………………………………………………..9
12. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….10
13. References…………………………………………………………………………..11

Human augmentation – Assessment 3

Introduction

The study pays attention to the application of human augmentation in business, and the possible outcomes. The report elaborates how organizations that apply the technology register some form of consumer satisfaction and increased performance (Laudon & Laudon 2020). The paper uses operators in the health sector to describe how organizations try to use the various forms of augmentation, and the possible challenges they encounter. It illustrates how Johns Hopkins has made considerable strides in recommending wearables to some of its clients, and how it adheres to the ethical principles in nursing.to avoid causing any harm to those who use the technology. Hatta Hospital can improve its application of human augmentation by training its staff and placing more investment in the research and department section. Adhering to all the necessary directives would transform Hatta Hospital relates with its buyers, and will increasingly embrace differentiation, be identified as a cost leader, and becoming consumer responsive.

Identifying the Technology

Human augmentation refers to the application of technology to boost one’s physical and intellectual competences and skills. The technology works by converting an intrinsic physical feature by harboring or inserting a device within the user’s body. Eaisamo et al. (2019) describe human augmentation as an area of research that seeks to advance human capabilities through technology or medicine (Gartner 2019). Modern development in technology and science have resulted in a broad range of implants and other innovations that could be categorized as human augmentation. The technique is part of the broader field of augmentation, which Eaisamo et al. (2019) classify as the most common concept in the interdisciplinary research team that pays attention to the communicating digital extensions of human capabilities. A distinct journal called Augmented Human Research and a conference series known as Augmented Human provide more insight into the field.  For example, the quarrying or locomotive industries use the technology to strengthen worker safety (Gartner 2019). In other areas such as transportation and retailing, wearables play a central role of growing employee output.

Scholars in the field divide human augmentation classify the technology into three major divisions. The first group is augmented senses, also called extended senses or enhanced senses. Augmentation in this area is attained by understanding available multisensory data and presenting information to a person through specific human senses (Eaisamo et al. 2019). The sub-types in this part, include augmented testing sensitivity, scent, visualization, feeling, and audibility. The second class according to Eaisamo et al. (2019) is augmented action, which is characterized by recognizing human activities and turning them into acts, in simulated, isolated, or local settings. Sub-groups in this category, include remote presence, motor augmentation, movement, and teleoperation among others (Eaisamo et al. 2019). The third category is augmented cognition, also called enhanced cognition, which is attained by identifying human cognitive state, utilizing analytical frameworks to make a precise and reliable deduction of it, and embracing response from the computer to relate present and predictive requirements of the user, such availing recorded or stored data during natural conversation (Eaisamo et al. 2019). Various facilities have successfully applied human augmentation and are now reaping from its merits.

Foreign Company Applying the Technology

Human augmentation turns out to be a significant innovation in the health sector where the technology provides a wide range of solutions. Various health facilities now provide wearable technology applications that are designed to prevent diseases and maintain health, such as monitoring physical activities and controlling weight (Wu & Luo 2020). Wearable devices help various health facilities to management diseases as well as patients (Wu & Luo 2020). Some operators believe that the technology can directly influence clinical decisions, and advance the quality of patient care while lowering the cost of care, such rehabilitating patients outside the clinical setting (Wu & Luo 2020). Nevertheless, it is imperative to consider the possible merits and demerits of using the technology.

A good example of a foreign organization that uses the technology is the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, which functions as a not-for-profit academic medical facility that sets the trends and standards in education, research, and patient care. A group of researchers from the facility learned that wearable accelerometers, including mechanical sensors worn like a bracelet, watch, or belt to monitor movement and other health-related activities are a more reliable way to monitor physical activities (John Hopkins Medicine 2020). The professionals realized that these wearables are more effective compared to other techniques utilized by health workers at examining five-year risk of mortality in older people (John Hopkins Medicine 2020). An overview of the effects of wearable technology at Johns Hopkins reveals that a precise and objective examination of physical activities outweigh traditional indicators of mortality within half a decade, such as heart disease, cancer, alcohol use, diabetes, smoking, and age. Based on these results, the researchers and physicians at Johns Hopkins recommend that clients and other people can confidently utilize the devices to help them overcome unhealthy practices and improve physical activities, and possibly, achieve healthy and longer lifespans (John Hopkins Medicine 2020). Consequently, the group advocates for, and help its clients get a wide range of wearable devices, such as My Skin Track UV that help users to know their level of exposure to pollution, humidity, pollen, and ultra violet rays and Motiv Ring that monitors the user’s heart rate, sleep, and other activities (John Hopkins Medicine 2020). The facility records impressive results from its use of wearable technology, but also experiences considerable challenges in its application.

Constraints

Johns Hopkins considers the ethical issues surrounding the use of human augmentation and tries to weigh its options very carefully. The group understands that some parties do not consider human augmentation as ethical, and try to confine its recommendations to applications that are not likely to cause contradicting views. The hospital ensures that before making any technology available to consumers, it considers the far-reaching effects of any tool or application. The objective of Johns Hopkins is to act in accordance with the directives of utilitarianism an ethical or moral action is one that yields the best results for everyone (Mandal, Ponnambath & Parija 2016). The other challenge Johns Hopkins encounters in applying human augmentation is rapid transformation changes and needs. Many developers continue to come up with more products that serve almost similar purposes, which takes time for the institution to examine their reliability, integration, and user-friendliness. The fast-changing technology requires the facility to ensure that the device is safe and not likely to cause any harm. The team of experts uses much time examining whether the emerging technologies meet necessary regulations, and applies the directives of ISO 56002 that provide significant guidelines on innovation management (ISO 2020). Despite these hurdles, Johns Hopkins strives to achieve the best results with human augmentation.

Adopted Solutions

Johns Hopkins has adopted some mitigation measures to address the challenges it faces with wearable technology that Eaisamo et al. (2019) classify under augmented senses. The organization adheres to the four basic ethical principles that guide health practices. The health facility follows the guidelines of respect for autonomy, which is a norm obliging health workers to respect the decisions of adults who have the capacity to make sound decisions about their health or those of their loved ones (Jahn 2011). The group ensures that each time it recommends a wearable to a client the deal is out of intentionality, understanding, and absence of external influencers. The group pays particular attention to beneficence while dealing with the technology, which is the moral obligation to serve for the good of others (Jahn 2011). Specialists who recommend these devices seek to provide benefits while balancing the merits and possible risks. The facility adheres to the directives of non-maleficence, which holds that there is a call not to cause harm on others, such as causing offense, incapacitation, suffering, or pain (Jahn 2011). Specialists at Johns Hopkins follow the teachings of the ethical principle of justice that obliges caregivers to evenly distribute resources, risks, benefits, and costs (Jahn 2011). Physicians at the hospital believe that every person has an equal opportunity to access care depending on their need, effort, and contribution. The facility deals with the issue of the fast-changing technology by empowering a team of experts who keep up to date with emerging technology and explain their possible implications on the hospital and users.  

UAE Organization that can benefit from Optimizing the Technology

Hatta Hospital, in Hatta city center, Dubai is a possible privately-owned institution that can benefit from optimizing the technology. Specialists at the facility presently use augmented senses that help clients to improve their sensing with regard to vision, taste, smell, sense, and hearing (Dubai Health Authority 2020). The 123-bed multi-specialty hospital can consider wearables that may improve how it provides pediatrics, gynecology, dental, eye, and skin services that are some of the key areas in the institution (Dubai Health Authority 2020). The facility should consider whether it recommends products that employ advanced technology and are likely to give reliable and consistent results. Working towards improving how the facility makes use of human augmentation presents a better chance to improve the well-being and quality of life for those seeking services from the firm.

Impact of the Trend

Optimizing the technology is likely to improve the functions and position of Hatta Hospital in Dubai and across the UAE. Improving how the firm makes use of the technology is likely to advance how the firm differentiates its activities, functions as a cost leader, and achieves customer responsiveness.

Differentiation

Optimizing the use of human augmentation at Hatta will help it to achieve differentiation, which is an essential strategic approach in business that functions in a market full of other operators. Laudon and Laudon (2020) describe differentiation as a marketing approach that attempts to different an organization’s services or products from the competition. Differentiation could entail creating a healthy value scheme to make a good or service appealing to a particular buyer or market. Developing how the facility uses the technology will distinguish it from the rest as one of the health institutions that provide the best wearables while considering the possible implications of their use. In addition, achieving differentiation because of advancing how the facility recommends wearables to patients provides the facility with an opportunity to be the buyers’ favorite choice. Differentiation may help the company to defend its prices, because buyers would be willing to buy so long as they get what meet their needs.

Cost Leadership

Applying the technology provides the facility with the chance to practice cost-leadership such that it is among the cheapest providers of health services, especially when it comes to applying human augmentation (Laudon &Laudon 2020). Practicing cost leadership would serve as a technique for attracting more people, and at the same time shows how the organization cares for the welfare of its patient such that they do not spend much money on acquiring the services. However, the company balances between what it gets and spends to avoid running at huge losses.

Customer Responsiveness

Applying human augmentation appropriately provides a suitable opportunity for the health facility to achieve consumer responsiveness. Laudon and Laudon (2020) describe consumer responsiveness as the business’ capability to react to service inquiries and work on them in real time. Customer responsiveness also encompasses the speed it takes the organizational agents to begin interaction and the time it requires for them to fulfil the consumers’ needs (Laudon & Laudon 2020). However, it is easier to achieve consumer responsiveness by asking them what they want, managing their expectations, developing appropriate procedures, and educating clients about the technology, its merits, and possible limitations.

Recommendations

The study illustrates how using human augmentation provides an opportunity to improve organizational operations, which requires the management and caregivers to consider effective ways for improving use. The group leaders should facilitate the training of some workers, especially those serving in areas where they interact with wearable technology. The training will equip service providers with better skills and information regarding what needs to happen to achieve the best results when using the technology. The other recommendation is that facility may increase its investment in the research and development (R&D) department to improve its capacity to understand how technology changes and how it influences the production of devices used in human augmentation.

Conclusion

The report pays attention to the use of human augmentation and describes how the technology increasingly transform how organizations conduct their operations. It uses examples of establishments in the health sector that have already introduced the technology. It illustrates how Johns Hopkins pays considerable attention to using wearables that help their clients to improve their senses. Even though the facility experiences some considerable hurdles in implementing the technology it has adopted some measures to make it possible to overcome the hurdles. Hatta Hospital in Dubai can acquire increased benefits from the technology if it chooses to optimize its use of augmentation. The facility can achieve differentiation, become a cost leader, and improve its customer responsiveness by effectively applying human augmentation. However, it would be easier to achieve the desired goals and objectives with the technology by training employees who constantly interact with the technology, and by providing more support to the R&D department so that it has the capacity to learn how new technologies work and how they impact on users.   

References

Eaisamo, R., et al. (2019). Human augmentation: Past, present and future. International Journal

            of Human-Computer Studies, 131, 131-143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2019.05.008

Gartner. (2020). Gartner top 10 strategic technology trends for 2020. Retrieved 13 December 13,

            2020, from https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/gartner-top-10-strategic-

            technology-trends-for-2020/

ISO. (2020). ISO 56002:2019. Retrieved 13 December 13, 2020,

https://www.iso.org/standard/68221.html

Jahn, W. (2011). The four basic principles that apply to forensic activities are respect for

            autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine 10

            (3), 225-226. doi: 10.1016/j.jcm.2011.08.004

John Hopkins Medicine. (2020). Wearable activity trackers a reliable tool for predicting death

            risk in older adults. Retrieved 13 December 13, 2020, 

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/wearable-activity-

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Laudon, K., & Laudon, C. (2020) Management information systems: Managing the digital firm.

            London: Pearson ISBN: 13:978-0-273-78997-0.

Mandal, J., Ponnambath, D., & Parija, S. (2016). Utilitarian and deontological ethics in

            medicine. Tropical Parasitology 6 (1), 5-7. doi: 10.4103/2229-5070.175024

Wu, M., & Luo, L. (2020). Wearable technology applications in healthcare: A literature review.

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