The Smarter Products Series is supported by IBM. Find out more about how IBM is working to create a Smarter Planet.

The health care industry is a rapidly changing one, making it hard for the average consumer to keep up with the many innovations that are revealed every week.

From the operating theater to the patient's bedside, there are new products being revealed all the time that make a real difference for medical staff and patients alike.

We've found five amazing innovations that are especially clever. Have a read and let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Are there any other medical innovations that are improving health care that you'd add to the list?







Intuitive Surgical's da Vinci Surgical Systems help doctors with robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery. While the surgeon sits at a console, the remotely controlled robotic arms carry out the procedure. The system boasts better visualization, enhanced dexterity and greater precision. Complex procedures, such as open-heart surgery, can be carried out with one to two centimeter incisions, meaning less risk for the patient.







Cooling patients down before treating them for a heart attack (or other emergencies that require resuscitation) has been shown to limit damage to the brain and save lives. The ThermoSuit cools patients with direct water-on-skin contact and offers cooling times of up to six times as fast as conventional methods. The ThermoSuit takes about 30 minutes to drop a body core temperature by three degrees, is portable, and can be used on a normal gurney.







Living under the threat of sudden cardiac arrest is a frightening situation, because it can happen at any time. The LifeVest is an alternative to invasive implant options that may be unsuitable for at-risk patients. It's the world's first wearable defibrillator that constantly monitors the heart's activity. The LifeVest can quickly detect an arrest and then defibrillate the heart back to a normal rhythm — with no need for external help.







The Vocera wireless communication system looks to have revolutionized in-house communications in the hospitals where it is used. The wireless badge worn by staff allows them to call and page other staff members and departments using intuitive voice commands (e.g. "Call Dr. Jones"), rather than leave a patient, find a phone and look up numbers. In addition, iPhone and BlackBerry apps mean the system can be accessed outside the building for off-site staff.







This imaging technology enables much more advanced images, rendered much quicker, from within the heart using near-infrared light. A vast improvement from older technologies, the C7-XR aids in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. The system essentially lets cardiologists look in great detail inside a coronary artery before and after a procedure — something that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.







Showing that innovations don't have to be high-tech, The Hydrant is one of those simple, why-didn't-I-think-of-that ideas. Giving patients more independence, and just as crucially freeing up medical staff's time, it helps prevent dehydration by giving the patient constant access to fluids, without them having to ask for assistance.

Series Supported by IBM







The Smarter Products Series is supported by IBM. Find out more about how IBM is working to create a Smarter Planet.

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