Using telemedicine, the paramedic of the future will make tough calls and perform advanced procedures onsite, aided by expert systems and doctors watching from afar. Much as OnStar or Sirius can dial 9-1-1 when a car’s airbags deploy, a victim’s smartphone (or whatever might replace it) will summon an ambulance if its owner is unconscious. The ambulance can then arrive swiftly and safely, using a jammer that can mute loud music in nearby cars and turn a red light green. Reaching the victim, the paramedic relieves the good Samaritan who has been coached by her phone’s virtual physician. As the paramedic’s own phone downloads the patient’s medical history, a tiny “tricorder” will read the patient’s vitals and scan for injuries. It is all in a routine day. “Routine,” however, will not exist if a city is struck by an earthquake, a radiological (“dirty”) bomb, or a chemical or biological weapon. The paramedic of the future will carry or wear a suite of sensors to detect victims, reveal which of them needs the most urgent care, and warn him if he cannot reach them safely. Together with stationary sensors, these mobile sensors will feed an intelligent triage system that grows smarter with experience. In the paramedic’s “medical bag,” you will find artificial red blood cells, perhaps artificial blood itself. When disaster strikes, the paramedic will be aided by 3D tracking, a lightweight protective suit, and a long-lasting oxygen supply that’s trim and lightweight. Victims won’t weigh down our paramedic: He will get a boost from a robotic cot, a stair-chair, or perhaps an “Iron Man lite” exoskeleton.
Lighter gear, sensors that warn when to clear out, and smoke-penetrating goggles ranked high on the wish list of responders envisioning the firefighter of the future. Like tomorrow’s paramedic, the future firefighter may rely on robots to do heavy lifting or scope out a hostile environment. But mostly, he’ll rely on headgear that streams “situational awareness” from a symphony of sensors. Warnings, maps, and other vital data will be beamed to a firefighter’s eyes and ears, keeping hands free as they guide him into a fire and back out before the ceiling caves, his oxygen empties, or his body succumbs to heat.
