Yesterday marked the beginning of a new chapter in my life. As I lay down for my first radiotherapy session for prostate cancer, I was introduced to ‘Juniper’, the state-of-the-art radiotherapy machine. Over the next 20 days, Juniper and I will be spending fifteen minutes a day together, getting to know each other intimately. Although this journey was born out of a medical necessity, I’m taking it as an opportunity to bond with this magnificent piece of technology.
It’s not often that you get to befriend a machine, especially one so crucial to your health.
Each session with Juniper is filled with a mixture of apprehension, hope, and wonder. The humming, the lights, and the meticulous precision of this machine have me marvelling at human ingenuity. And yet, I can’t help but wonder about the role Artificial Intelligence (AI) has played in Juniper’s design and operation.
AI’s footprint in the medical world is undeniable. From predictive diagnostics to robotic surgeries, AI has transformed the landscape of healthcare. It assists doctors in detecting anomalies in scans, provides personalized treatment recommendations, and even automates routine tasks. As I lie there, letting Juniper do its work, I contemplate how much of its operation is powered by AI. How does it precisely target the cancer cells while preserving the surrounding healthy tissue? How does it adjust to the slightest movements to ensure accuracy? Behind all these tasks, I suspect, lies a complex web of algorithms and data-driven insights.
Over the next few weeks, I plan to dive deeper into understanding the history and mechanics behind Juniper. This will not only be a therapeutic endeavour to distract from the physical treatment but also a cognitive exploration into the technological advancements that are helping people like me fight cancer.
In this journey, Juniper is not just a machine, but a beacon of hope, a testament to human progress, and an ally in my battle against cancer. As we proceed on this 20-day adventure, I promise to share more insights, anecdotes, and revelations about my new friend and the incredible world of AI in healthcare.
Stay tuned for more updates on this evolving story!