Pioneers and Engineers: the Evolving Field of Human Factors Engineering

by Design Science

The landscape of the medical device industry is transforming. As the tide of technological change reshapes how people interact with their devices, human factors engineers face the task of evolving with the industry.

In “Will Human Factors Engineers Have a Role in MedTech’s Future?,” Shana Leonard heralds these developments and describes where industry leaders, including Design Science principal and founder, Stephen Wilcox, PhD, FIDSA, see the field of human factors playing a role in this next generation of devices.

Make no mistake—Leonard predicts the MedTech industry is getting closer to its “holy grail,” the development of “autonomous, intelligent medical devices that effectively manage chronic conditions without constantly reminding patients of their disease.”

However, as devices like the artificial pancreas eliminate the physical interfaces of their predecessors, human factors methods will continue to inform and improve the transition of healthcare from the hospital to the home.

While the landscape of the industry is undoubtedly transforming, it is also constantly revealing new territory for the industry’s pioneers.

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