Device Addresses Healthcare Language Barrier 159
Zothecula writes "With over 170 languages spoken in the US alone, medical personnel attending an emergency or working in a busy hospital are no doubt often faced with communication problems when trying to dispense treatment. The Phrazer offers a possible solution to this problem. It is billed as the world's first multilingual communication system, where patients provide medical background information, symptoms or complaints with the help of a virtual onscreen doctor speaking in their own native tongue. This information is then summarized into a medical record compatible with all major EMR systems." All that for only 12 to 18 thousand dollars.
Re:Only $12~18K? (Score:5, Funny)
With the low cost of modern computer technology, why does this device have to be THAT pricey? Just wondering.
Low volumes. They might put one into every ambulance and ten into each emergency department but thats not the same as selling ipods or iphones by the million.
Funny story: my son was in hospital and I had him psyched up for a blood test. Not easy, I knew it was going to be a battle. Then the nurse wheeled in this big machine with gadgets hung on the outside. It looked like a torture machine from star wars. Of course he freaked out. It was their jazzed portable video player. Meant to distract the kids but it didn't work for us.
In Klingon .... (Score:5, Funny)
... the only phrase it knows is "Perhaps today is a good day to die". That keeps the whole health care process pretty simple.
Hungarian translation mode (Score:2, Funny)
"Please fondle my buttocks!"
Re:Only $12~18K? (Score:3, Funny)