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8 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I NOVEMBER 2018 When Marcus Welby, M.D. premiered in 1969 with Robert Young in the starring role, the good doctor usually had everything he needed in his trusty doctor bag. And if Dr. Welby couldn't fix you with his stethoscope and sphygmomanometer, the local hospital was up to the task with its EKG, EEG, and heart rate monitors beepin' away, and ready cure you before the end of the episode. Now, the newest Apple Watch features a tita- nium electrode built into the digital crown that allows the wearer to give himself or herself an electrocardiogram. Devices like the Fitbit let the user track pulse rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. Marketing these devices under the "fitness" umbrella was a stroke of genius that capitalizes on the current fitness trend. Call it the democratization of medical care, if you will. But whatever the name, the medi- cal electronics market is blowing up, and there doesn't seem to be a ceiling. A recent report by Research and Markets estimates that the global medical device mar- ket will reach $409.5 billion by 2023, expand- ing at a CAGR of 4.5% from 2018 to 2023. The same group predicts that the world's mar- ket for wearable medical devices will hit $12.1 billion by 2021. It was inevitable, really. Every part of our lives— registering to vote, making an offer on a house, driv- ing your car—is becoming more automated. If this rate of medical innovation con- tinues, visits to the doctor and hospital may become increasingly rare in the near future. As a male, this is good news for me. Men are pre- ternaturally predisposed to avoiding the doctor until a wound becomes infected or we're at death's door. Because men love gadgets, many of us would be happy to monitor our vital signs, The Shaughnessy Report by Andy Shaughnessy, I-CONNECT007 Medical Electronics: Vital Signs Are Good