Pictures of the Future      Spring 2005

In Brief

^? Personalization is an important trend in the consumer goods industry. According to experts, companies that offer personalized products will realize competitive advantages from stronger ties to their customers  
^{see more at Trends, in the Interview and at Facts and Forecasts}

^? Many everyday items can be personalized, from websites for online shopping to computer user interfaces, cell phones, automobiles and individualized electronic systems for the home. RFIDs and M2M communications will endow objects with identity   ^{see more at Trends and RFID}

^? Users alter products by changing settings to suit their individual needs and preferences. There are also systems that analyze users’ behavior and then offer suggestions related to automatic adjustments. However, users must always be able to control changes that are made. What’s more, personalization must provide clear benefits to the user   ^more

^? Cell phone-based avatars establish a personal relationship between the product and the user. They are designed to increase enjoyment while simplifying use   ^more

^? Personalization is an important trend in the healthcare sector. In the future, patient data will be intelligently processed and promptly made available for diagnostic purposes, making clincal decision-making easier. This information will also be accessible by means of electronic health cards. Siemens is one of the largest suppliers of integrated systems for doctors’ practices and clinics. Technologies from Siemens have helped Alegent Health Lakeside Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska become a pioneer in personalization  
^{see more at Healthcare – Personalization and Lakeside Hospital}

^? Molecular medicine is the wave of the future. Together with U.S. research institutes, Siemens is developing new processes for the early detection of tumor cells, with the help of nanotechnology, molecular imaging, and magnetic resonance tomography. Siemens’ quicklab mini-laboratory technology can help to identify individual genetic predispositions, a major step toward affordable preventive care   ^more

^? Access rights to personal data must be clearly regulated. With this in mind, Siemens is developing appropriate security technologies. Electronic patient files offer a degree of transparency that was never possible with paper. The files automatically register who has opened which sections, thus making abuse much more difficult   ^more