BrazJOtorhinolaryngol.2015;81(1):6---7
Brazilian
Journal
of
OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY
www.bjorl.org
EDITORIAL
Let
us
do
it
ourselves
夽
Fac
¸amos
nós
mesmos
Traditionally,large companiesinthe medicalfieldpresent us with ‘‘objects of desire’’, which are not always gen-uinelydesiredapplications.Frequently,theseproposalsare accompanied by a massive marketing campaign (or con-vincingstrategies).Speciallocationsrecruitengineersand occasionally,healthprofessionals,todevelop(oftenbehind closeddoors)newgenerationsofoldequipment.
Withhighaddedvalue,theseinnovationsarevery expen-siveandmakeitimpossibleformostpractitionerstoaccess the so-called cutting-edge technology. We arethus faced with‘‘anaillookingforahammer’’,i.e.,asolutioninsearch ofanapplication.
Weareawareof thenatural potentialofBraziland its chronicunderdevelopment withrespect toradical innova-tions. There are a few companies, such as Embrapa and Embraer,that change the waywe interact withthe envi-ronment and the world. Agencies such as FAPESP1 and
associationssuch asSENAI2 seek tobring researchersand
companies together. With that, we believe that we can accelerate the application of science in society, while investingintheproductionofknowledge.The government prioritizesareas itconsiders tobestrategic,andrecently launchedplatformsofknowledge,3alsoinordertoprovide
solutionstotechnologicalproblems.Evenwithallthis activ-ity,therateoftransformationisstillslow.
Thestrategyofdoingityourself(DIY)hasbeen usedin thehealthcarearea.Fromtechnologicalmarathonsknown as ‘‘hackathons’’4 to international kits,5 groups seek to
empowerlocal communitiesto providesolutions that can improvethepopulation’squalityoflife.
Withthe disseminationandsimplification of toolssuch as3D printers,Arduino, and programming language,even childrencanbeaskedtodesignproducts.6Thisreality
con-trastssharplywithwhatthemedicalareaisusedtocalling innovation.
夽
Pleasecitethisarticleas:SchorP.Letusdoitourselves.BrazJ Otorhinolaryngol.2015;81:6---7.
Inourenvironment,wedecidedtofollowthispath,and thusweinitiatedtheMedHacker7movement.
Thisis auniversity group,linkedtotheDepartment of Ophthalmologyof EscolaPaulista deMedicina,which con-sistsofindividualswithexpertiseindifferentfields(medical ornon-medical).Thegroupencouragescreativityand bold-nessratherthanconventionandconservativeness, for the goodofall.
Withaverydiverseteam,rangingfrommedical histori-anstodesigners,MedHackerproposestotaketheconceptof OPENinnovationtoitsboundaries,understandingthehuman beingasthesourceofknowledgeofboththeproblemsand practical solutionsinthehealthcarearea.8Joint solutions
arecreated basedonexperience,taking intoaccountthe usabilityandutilityofproducts.Materialsaremodeledand scientificand humanisticcriticisms areproposed,focusing onpatientsandbasedonathoroughunderstandingof rele-vanttheoreticalbases.
Thisalternativeandcontemporarymodel hasproduced prototypes and motivated young individuals, who have startedcompaniesandbandedtogetherintocreative incu-bators. Ageneration encouragedto create,not simplyto consume.Thisrepresentsonepossiblepathtoward sustaina-bilityandgrowthwesogreatlyneed,thatcouldreduceour dependenceontechnologyandpointustoafuturewecreate ourselves.
Conflicts
of
interest
Theauthordeclaresnoconflictsofinterest.
References
1.http://www.fapesp.br/58 2.http://www.sp.Senai.br/Senaisp/institucional/3398/0/ programa-Senai-sp-de-apoio-a-pesquisa 3.http://www.brasil.gov.br/ciência-e-tecnologia/2014/07/ ministro-apresenta-bases-teoricas-de-plataformas-do-conhecimento http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bjorl.2014.11.002EDITORIAL 7
4.http://india.media.mit.edu/diy/#home
5. http://littledevices.org/little-devices-big-ideas/diy-medical-technology-group-overview/
6.http://static.squarespace.com/static/
5274eedce4b0298e6ac5effd/t/53833733e4b08f61e7a5ffa6/ 1401108275111/Designathon2305.pdf
7. http://www.unifesp.br/ligas/medhacker/medhacker-voce-e-um-deles/
8.https://www.facebook.com/paulo.schor.7/posts/ 10205307983199812
PauloSchor
