Tech changes lives: 3 promising health innovations
It is World Health Day. We have listed three promising tech innovations.
Published on April 7, 2025
Team IO+ selects and features the most important news stories on innovation and technology, carefully curated by our editors.
Today is World Health Day—a moment to reflect on our (public) health. As we look ahead, we see that technology is playing an increasingly important role in improving our well-being. We have listed three promising tech innovations.
AI has become indispensable in healthcare
AI: we can no longer ignore it. We see it cropping up in all areas of our lives. Healthcare can no longer do without it either.
Take the Princess Máxima Center in Utrecht. The children's hospital is working with Google on the development of 'Capricorn', an AI tool that offers promising prospects for the treatment of leukemia in children. This technology makes it possible to offer personalized treatment options in a matter of moments, a task that previously would have taken days. The system analyzes medical data together with anonymized patient information. This AI also already plays a crucial role in other facets of pediatric oncology and has already led to a significant reduction in the diagnosis time for brain tumors.
Maxima Center teams up with Google on AI tool for leukemia
The Utrecht hospital partnered with Google to develop Capricorn, an AI tool to improve children's leukemia treatment.
In addition to treatment options in oncology, AI plays an important role in preventive healthcare. Delft University of Technology recently demonstrated that AI-based eHealth applications, such as an AI coach for quitting smoking, are effective in changing behavior. These AI coaches can adapt to the user's personal situation.
The impact of virtual reality on mental health
Virtual reality (VR) also offers promising solutions. We are increasingly hearing that VR is being used to improve people's mental health. The Groningen-based company VRelax, for example, uses VR to protect employees from burnout by giving them access to soothing virtual environments. Users can take a virtual walk in the Alps or relax on the beach during the workday, resulting in a stress reduction of more than 40 percent within ten to fifteen minutes.
True-to-life, low-stimulus VR environment protects workers from burnout
Taking a walk in the Alps during your work break or relaxing on the beach? It’s all possible with the true-to-life VR therapy from Groningen-based VRelax.
Advanced implants
Implants are also becoming better and more complex. They can be useful for an increasing number of diseases and disorders. In Rotterdam, the first patient in the Netherlands recently received a migraine implant as part of a clinical study, a first that offers new hope to patients with chronic migraines. The implant, developed by Salvia BioElectronics, emits gentle electrical pulses to the nerves, reducing the intensity and frequency of headache attacks.
First patient in the Netherlands receives migraine implant
For the first time in the Netherlands, a patient has received an implant for chronic migraine.
Another promising development is the implant from ONWARD Medical for people with spinal cord injuries. It is called the ARC-IM system. The implants, which function by stimulating the spinal cord, have versatile applications ranging from reducing spasticity to improving sexual function and bladder control.