The mobile subscription worldwide was projected to be around seven billion in 2014. With this statistics, the cellular phone has undoubtedly become an indispensable and universal tool used by most people in the modern world. With a mobile phone, one can communicate with anybody from almost anywhere across the globe.
What is Cellular Technology?
In simple terms, cellular technology refers to the technique of communication network with a wireless link. The network is spread across the land areas known as cells. Each cell gets service from one location also known as the transceiver or the base transceiver stations. The cellular design of the mobile network makes the communication possible from one area to another. The network is sectioned into many cells or overlapping geographical areas. Typically, the network is a mesh of hexagonal cells each having the base stations centrally placed. The cells overlap at their edges slightly to ensure that the network users would remain within the station's range (Konicek & Lisa, 2014). The base stations usually provide the cells with the coverage of network used in the transmission of data, voice and other forms. One cell can use different frequencies from the neighboring cells to prevent interference as well as to provide the service quality in every cell. When these cells are joined together, they provide coverage over a wide area. This allows for many portable transceivers to communicate amongst themselves.
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Uses of Cell Phone
Cell phones have got several uses. Depending on the type of phone one has, the device can perform several functions ranging from sharing messages, making calls, internet services, taking photos, sharing pictures, watching videos as well as many applications which bring different experiences. Phones have enhanced communication in all disciplines including education, medicine and many others.
How the Cellular Technology works
Radio waves
Cellular phones depend on the radio waves for communication. The waves, in turn, transmit digitized data or voice as magnetic or electric fields known as the electromagnetic field. These waves transmit the information at the quick speed of light. The radio waves are transmitted in all directions. The waves can be reflected or absorbed by the surrounding objects before reaching the closest cell station (Konicek & Lisa, 2014). For instance, when the phone is put close to a hand during a call, a portion of the emitted energy gets absorbed into the hand and other parts of the body.
Antenna
A cellular phone has at least one antenna used to receive or transmit signals. An antenna is primarily set to convert an electric signal to radio wave or transmitter and radio wave to electric signal or receiver. While some cellular phones have got one antenna, others like iPhone 5 contain multiple receiving and transmitting antennas. An antenna refers to any metal which is made in a specific shape or size and is used to receive or transmit radio waves frequencies (Konicek & Lisa, 2014). The antennas in the older generation phones are externally placed while the modern cellular phones have compact antennas which are fixed inside the device. Notably, any metallic component in the device can continue with the pattern of the signal because it can interact with the antenna.
Connectivity
As already mentioned a cellular phone provides wireless communication and depends on both reception and transmission signals to operate. The amount of signal received from the signal tower is known as the signal strength and is indicated on the bars of the phone. The connectivity between a cellular network and the phone relies on both signals and can be affected by several factors including the distance between the phone and the closest cell tower. Poor reception may be an indication of long distance or even interruptions between the cell tower and the phone (Konicek & Lisa, 2014).
The Influence of Cell Phone Technology in Healthcare in Developing Countries
The importance of cellular technology in healthcare is evident. The assembly of World Health Organization indicated that the health technologies are significant for efficient and effective treatment, prevention, rehabilitation and diagnosis of diseases. Smartphones play a fundamental role in ensuring that healthcare is more accessible for people around the world.
Improving Training and Communication for Healthcare Professionals
Cellular phones enable quicker communication and easier collaboration between the healthcare professionals. Health communication is essential in every aspect of the profession. Cellular phones also enable easier collaboration and sharing of files through the devices. For this reason, healthcare professionals can access test results and images whenever they are required. It is vital that the applications should have security checks to help uphold the confidentiality of the patient. Cellular phones help in connecting doctors, patients and students all over the world. Sharing of knowledge and information between the students and doctors and even patients has been made easy globally. Even so, the type of information and the communication platform should be considered to ensure that the boundaries of interaction between the doctors and patients are set and followed. Cell phones have made easy health education in most of the developing countries through sharing information and educating patients using the devices (Sahu, Grover & Joshi, 2014).
Reducing the cost of Healthcare
The cellular phone technology has led to significant decrease in the price of medical devices. Kenek O2 is an oximeter which connects the pulse to smartphones. The total cost of the pulse oximeter and cell phone is approximately sixty-five dollars which is relatively cheap. Monitoring, investigating and managing many patients is a complex affair which needs many resources. With the modern devices such as health tablet, managing healthcare has been made easier and cheaper as the device can be used to record almost thirty diagnostic tests including blood sugar, HIV status and Hepatitis B status (Wilson, 2018). This means that the doctors can monitor the patient's illnesses at the point of care.
Cooperation to Improve Healthcare
Cellular phones help in managing the patients. iWander, for example, is an application that monitors patients with Alzheimer through a small GPS tracking device (Wilson, 2018). The application monitors the device located in a watch, and after evaluation, it provides different actions which can provide the solution. Medical data can be produced and stored in the cell phones.
References
Konicek, J. C., & Lisa, S. G. (2014). U.S. Patent No. 8,880,047 . Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Sahu, M., Grover, A., & Joshi, A. (2014). Role of mobile phone technology in health education in Asian and African countries: a systematic review. International journal of electronic healthcare , 7 (4), 269-286.
Wilson, K. (2018). Mobile cell phone technology puts the future of health care in our hands. Canadian Medical Association Journal , 190 (13), E378-E379.
