Does life imitate art? Or, is it the other way round?  The increasing emergence of the 'Internet of Things' (IoT), with ubiquitous connectivity, measurement and observation by inanimate objects, is becoming everyday reality – a trend that has strong parallels with science fiction.

It's a development with huge potential and, quite frankly, scary possibilities. There are, by some accounts, 1.5 trillion objects in the world, 11 billion of which have sensors but aren't connected to anything.

So what objects should be connected and for what purpose? Should it really be an Internet of Some Things? Made up only of objects which output meaningful, measurable data with benefits for individuals or wider society. Whatever the case, we should have confidence that our data is used in the right way to drive the right outcomes.

It's this convergence of technology and data that will empower individuals and organisations in the future. There are opportunities for real transformation, and in our latest Tech Trends report we talk about the merging of ambient computing and amplified intelligence – putting the IoT in to practice and giving us the data to inform how we live and how we are cared for.

This is applicable to all sectors, but its application in healthcare could be revolutionary – it's here that we're already seeing the 'rise of the machines'.

The emergence of wearable technology, including the recent arrival of Apple Watch amongst others, means that we are now sensed by objects that are ever closer to our bodies. They might not be 'medical grade' devices, but they create a continuous stream of data about us like we have never had before. 

This has the potential to empower the individual to be more aware of their health and shift the balance from cure to prevention. It works for aircraft engines, which are constantly monitored and proactively maintained, so why not for humans?

Well, one difference is that we're not machines (obviously!), and we don't always work in a logical way. But, if we really knew more about the implications of our actions we might start to change the things we do...

It also gives care professionals additional data points which will become increasingly accurate and all-encompassing, as wearables become ever more ubiquitous and personal. That, of course, relies on us trusting that our data is being used for the right purposes by the organisations which analyse and interpret the data these wearable devices produce.

The good news for the NHS is that our Data Nation 2014 survey found public sector healthcare providers are the most trusted type of organisation. Around 60% of respondents said they least minded the NHS having access to their personal information. That could always be improved, but it's a good starting point and should mean the NHS will be free to put some of these developments into action.

The potential shift of balance from cure to prevention, while also improving the cure, looks like an application of IoT that passes the test. In other words, it has the right intentions to focus on improving outcomes. 

The NHS in Scotland, as in the rest of the UK, is under increasing budget pressure and it's not likely to change any time soon. In practical 'pounds and pence' terms, its adoption brings an opportunity to close the gap from what we need to spend and what we have to spend. 

We explore how digital technology, including the IoT and wearables, presents opportunities for Technology Enabled Care (TEC) in our new Connected Health report. It offers incredible opportunities for the NHS and Health and Social Care Partnerships to transform the way they work through data. 

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