In the near future, patients could begin using their printers to receive simple medications and help advance a more personalized model of health care, Craig Mundie, chief research and strategy officer at Microsoft, said on Friday, PC World reports. Mundie was speaking at a conference in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Rather than having ink, the printers would be able to dispense different medications from their ink cartridges, according to Mundie. He said drug tablets could be pulled off of printed sheets similar to mailing labels and dissolve in patients' mouths.
Mundie also speculated about uses for a mobile phone containing breath analysis technology that could detect diseases, chemical imbalances or other problems based on a person's breath. A clinic could then provide a diagnosis based on the screening.
Microsoft said the new technologies are just an idea and not currently available, PC World reports.
However, Mundie added that Microsoft's technology sector is poised to develop new ways to improve the rapidly advancing health care market (Nystedt, PC World, 5/9).