What Is E-Learning?

What Is E-Learning?

Anyone who has used eLearning will undoubtedly tell you how effective and handy it is. Both learners and companies benefit from eLearning in today’s “always-on” era. But what is eLearning precisely?

Whether you’re an expert or a novice when it comes to eLearning, there’s no doubting its popularity has soared in the last decade. It provides organizations with a cost-effective and time-efficient alternative to teaching their personnel. Employees receive easy training that improves their skills and knowledge in exchange. Organizations also use it to teach their partners and consumers in order to enhance adoption, retention, and revenue.

Let’s take a deeper look at what is eLearning, the many types and technologies available, and the benefits it may provide to your company.

What Is E-Learning All About?

Let’s begin by establishing an eLearning definition. What exactly is eLearning? The delivery of learning and training using digital resources is referred to as eLearning. Although eLearning is based on institutionalized learning, it is delivered via internet-connected electronic devices such as PCs, tablets, and even mobile phones.

This allows users to learn whenever and wherever they want, with few, if any, limitations. eLearning is a type of online training, learning, or education that is given via a computer or other digital device.

The Evolution of E-Learning

It’s essential to look back on the history of eLearning to better appreciate how it serves companies now. In 1999, Elliott Maisie invented the word “eLearning,” which was the first time it was used professionally. In the years afterward, the reputation of eLearning has become stronger.

But what reasons have aided eLearning’s rise to prominence as the most popular method of training delivery today?  These elements are:

Elements that Aided the Rise of E-Learning

1. The World Wide Web

Prior to the internet, many people depended on printed manuals, CD-ROMS, and other limited learning and training techniques. With the advent of the internet, businesses were able to move away from one-dimensional approaches and embrace the flexibility of eLearning.

2. Multimedia Development

As eLearning evolved, the ability to incorporate components like photos, videos, music, and graphics proved to be a more dependable technique for keeping learners interested than traditional learning.

3. Accessible Digital Devices

Given that the first IBM computer cost about $5000 in today’s dollars, it’s easy to see how eLearning’s popularity grew as digital devices got more affordable. Mobile learning has also aided the expansion of eLearning.

4. Learning Management Systems (LMS) that are well-built

LMSs have evolved, shifting from locally installed to cloud-based systems, and enterprises are increasingly using them to deliver a variety of training. There are several factors to consider when selecting an LMS; at the very least, be sure it offers the functionality and support you’ll need to accomplish your goals and those of your students.

Advantages of E-Learning

What is eLearning all about? We need to understand its advantages as well as its types. Unlike the conventional way of teaching using a board and chalk, E-learning allows students to study at their own pace and according to their preferences.

Let’s have a look at some of the benefits of E-Learning for students:

  1. You have unlimited access to the study materials.
  2. You may study your Courses whenever and wherever you choose.
  3. Students get access to the most recent material whenever they choose.
  4. Unlike traditional instructional methods, e-learning may be delivered quickly.
  5. This means that the amount of time spent studying has decreased.
  6. E-Learning allows for scalability, which aids in the delivery of instruction.
  7. Through E-Learning, all students may receive the same sort of curriculum, study materials, and training.
  8. You may save time, money, and travel costs by using E-Learning. As a result, E-Learning is more cost-effective than traditional classroom instruction.

Types of E-Learning

At the required places, digital and self-initiated learning may be obtained. E-learning education is diverse and well-equipped to accommodate various learning styles, so there’s no need to go looking for it.

Broadly, e-learning falls into two main categories: asynchronous and synchronous.

1. Asynchronous E-Learning:

Asynchronous eLearning encompasses more than just the online course. It also refers to any offline materials that a student could utilize in addition to the eLearning course.

What are the benefits of asynchronous eLearning? Because it is not reliant on place or time, it provides learners with a great lot of freedom. The material of the course may be accessed early in the morning, late at night, at the airport, or while lying in bed.

The focus of asynchronous eLearning is on content understanding rather than on how quickly the material is digested. Because the student sets the pace, they may devote as much (or as little) time to key subjects as they like.

2. Synchronous E-Learning

Synchronous learning is a broad phrase that refers to modes of education, instruction, and learning that take place at the same time but in different locations. The word is most generally used to describe different types of televisual, digital, and online learning in which students learn in real-time from instructors, coworkers, or peers but not in person. For example, synchronous learning includes instructional video conferences, interactive webinars, chat-based online conversations, and lectures that are aired at the same time they are delivered.

Conclusion

E-Learning will assist you in creating a user-friendly and understandable learning platform. It is well-known for providing the best of both worlds: lecture and hands-on training. You can certainly increase student happiness by using eLearning to provide more dynamic and interesting courses. Now that you know what eLearning is all about, let us know what you think about eLearning and the direction it’s going down in the comment section.

FAQs

How can e-learning help students?

E-Learning allows for scalability, which aids in the delivery of instruction. Through E-Learning, all students may receive the same sort of curriculum, study materials, and training. You may save time, money, and travel costs by using E-Learning. As a result, E-Learning is more cost-effective than conventional learning.

What are the 3 main advantages of eLearning?

E-Learning saves time and money

            E-learning is consistent
            E-learning improves information retention is students

What are the disadvantages of E-Learning?

  • Social interaction is lacking.
  • Cheating is an inescapable part of life.
  • Self-motivation and time management abilities are required.
  • It focuses on theory rather than practice.

How might eLearning be made better?

Remove any unnecessary visuals, photos, and text from your online learning materials, reducing them to only a few elements that are well-structured, relevant, high-quality, and cleanly placed. When courses become difficult, visual aids like graphs and charts provide the opportunity to select more over less.

Must-Read: Reality As You Know It Is About To Change!

Complete Review of Windows 11

Complete Review of Windows 11

Windows 11 is the latest Windows operating system released by Microsoft in October 2021. It was released as a free upgrade to Windows 10 devices that meet the strict minimum Windows 11 system requirements. Windows 11, the successor to the widely used and praised Windows 10 is a breath of fresh air, but it is not without flaws and faults. If you’re considering upgrading to the latest version of the world’s most popular operating system, this review of Windows 11 is a must-read, as I’ll be looking at the best and worst features of the new operating system.

Price and Availability

Windows 11 is free for anyone to download if their computer meets the minimum system requirements.

It is simple to download and install. Microsoft officially provided three options for downloading and installing Windows 11 on computers. Computers running Windows 10 that meet the system requirements are notified automatically through the Windows Update section of Settings when the upgrade is ready, where they can easily download and install it.

Windows 11 is also available on brand new laptops that meet the operating system’s system requirements and were produced after it was released.

A Microsoft account and an internet connection will be required for anybody to use Windows 11. You’ll be stuck at the setup page if you don’t have these. This provides a variety of advantages, including single-sign-on for Office, OneDrive backup, syncing settings across many devices, full-disk encryption for the system drive, and the option to reinstall Windows without a serial number. While this is understandable from one perspective, it may frustrate those who simply want to use a computer on occasion without having to create an account or have regular internet access.

The requirement for the TPM 2.0 hardware security chip, which is not found in most computers, reduces availability. This is because, even if their computer meets the rest of the requirements, not everyone can upgrade to the latest operating system. Even the most modern computers lack the hardware chip, so updating to Windows 11 may require purchasing a new computer.

More than Just a Fresh Coat of Paint

Windows 11’s new visual design and user interface are a breath of fresh air. When upgrading from Windows 10, this is the most significant and apparent change.

A redesigned user interface can be found across the operating system, thanks to Microsoft’s new Fluent Design language. Fluent Design is Microsoft’s successor to Metro Design, which was introduced with Windows 8. Everything appears to be more modern and refined, giving the interface a new level of slickness and uniformity. The UI features a lot of transparency, shadows, a new color palette, and rounded geometry.

Windows 11 is packed with a variety of theme options. You can choose from a set of default themes or design the best visual aesthetic for yourself. It comes with eight pre-installed themes and you can even download more on the Microsoft Store. When customizing a Windows theme, you can select your background images, colors, fonts, sounds, mouse cursors, contrasts, and more.

The built-in Windows programs File Explorer, Paint, Snipping Tool, and others have all been refreshed and updated. Unlike previous versions, File Explorer now has a streamlined ribbon along the top, resulting in a less crowded and congested menu bar. The context menus for right-clicking are likewise shorter, cleaner, and smarter, displaying only the most frequently used options.

Even though Windows 11 sports a fresh design, when you go deeper, there are still some similarities with the previous Windows 10 design. For example, if you right-click in a folder and bring up the ‘Properties’ menu, you’ll find the same settings as before, but with rounded buttons and a new icon. Although the new Windows 11 may appear to be a reskin of the old Windows10, the new Fluent Design language is a pleasant improvement.

Taskbar and Start Menu

The new centralized taskbar, which is permanently pinned to the bottom of the screen, is a noticeable difference in the UI. It takes a little getting used to, but if you don’t like it, you can quickly go back to the familiar left side of the screen in Settings.

If you’re using Windows 11 on a tablet device, the centered alignment makes sense from a usability standpoint, but with a mouse, it doesn’t, and you’ll probably want to change it back to the left. The buttons are smaller and less informative. They don’t show you which programs are running and which are just pinned as plainly as Windows 10. You can’t make them wider, and they don’t show download or processing progress as Windows 10 apps can. Finally, the Windows 11 taskbar lacks drag-and-drop functionality, though Microsoft is said to be working on improving this in future versions.

The Start menu has also been redesigned. Like the taskbar, everything is centered and its design also abides by the Fluent Design language. Pinned app buttons are at the top of the panel while recent and frequent apps and documents are in a section below them.

Visually the Start menu looks great, but digging deeper reveals the flaws. For example, when you try to search for something, it launches the Search app, which is a bit jarring when it switches between this and the Start menu. It lacks the uniformity of the Windows 10 Start menu, which allows you to search for something and get quick results. It feels half-baked and slower than before. The Start menu in Windows 10 provides quick access to power, settings, and folders. It also prioritizes the most frequently used and newly installed programs. That’s all lost in Windows 11, which instead offers Suggested and Pinned app and document icons.

The Start menu has potential, but it has to be improved. The current design appears unfinished and is more suited to tablets than laptops and desktop computers and has drawn much criticism from users and a number of publications of review of Windows 11.

Security

The requirements for Windows 11 sparked a lot of debate, mostly since the operating system required TPM2.0, which made upgrading to Windows 11 nearly impossible without it.

The Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is a hardware chip whose function is to protect data used to authenticate the computer you are using. The TPM can also be used to keep the platform secure, enable disk encryption, store passwords and certificates, and so on. TPM chips are useful in terms of overall system security, which Microsoft believes it needs to enforce with Windows 11. This tries to increase system security in general, particularly against hackers. This alone elevates Windows 11’s security to the top of the security list. This should be a key take-away from this review of Windows 11.

Windows Defender, the built-in antivirus program in Windows 11, is still a formidable force. It defends against almost every sort of malware. It also oversees lots of additional security features, including firewall and network protection, app and browser control, device security, and even parental controls. Although Windows Defender is more than capable of defending computers without the need for third-party antivirus software, it suspends itself when you install a third-party solution to avoid conflict.

User Experience and Accessibility

Windows 11 is fast and responsive. The transition from one folder to the next, and from one window to the next, is much faster than in Windows 10. In Windows 11, multitasking has been substantially improved. New features like Snap Groups, which allow you to return to previously snapped windows from the dock, allowing you to get to your email app, Edge browser windows, or anything else without having to snap them back to the previous view, are improving the way users operate with numerous programs.

When you hover over the maximize button, a new feature called Snap Layouts appears, which brings up a choice with multiple grids. Snap Assist will walk you through the process of arranging windows in the remaining zones once you’ve chosen a layout and position. Snap Assist only allowed about three distinct window layouts in the past, but with Snap layouts, you may now have up to six different window layouts. However, the number will be determined by the screen size.

In terms of poor user experience, the taskbar and Start menu stand out the most. They both have difficulties that make navigating the interface and accessing files, apps, and folders difficult. It will take some time for you to adjust. As you try to search for something, for example, it starts the Search app, which is startling when it jumps back and forth between this and the Start menu. It lacks the uniformity of the Windows 10 Start menu, which allows you to search for something and get quick results. Hopefully, as time passes and Microsoft releases patches, many of the terrible user experience issues will be resolved.

Windows 11 also includes a new feature that simplifies the use of external displays. When you disconnect the external display, for example, all of the applications on the secondary screen will instantly reduce. When you reconnect the monitor, the apps will return to their original location automatically. If you detach a laptop from an external monitor, for example, Windows will remember where some apps were installed.

You’ll be offered the opportunity to move files and your desktop from OneDrive, Microsoft’s online storage service when you first start up a PC with a fresh install of Windows 11. It’s a very useful tool that will benefit a lot of people, especially when it comes to setting up a new PC for the first time.

Accessibility is emphasized more in Windows 11. Audio alerts for visually impaired users now include notifications for when a message box opens, when an update is available, and much more. Voice Typing can also assist users in converting voice to text. Magnification programs, speech commander apps, and screen readers all get enhanced support.

Gaming

PC gamers will be pleased to learn that Windows 11 includes updates and enhancements to gaming capabilities and software. The Xbox Game Pass subscription service is available through a built-in Xbox app in Windows 11. This implies that PC gamers can play Halo Infinite, Sea of Thieves, Battlefield, and other Xbox games that are available through the service. Xbox Cloud Gaming, Microsoft’s streaming game platform, is also featured.

All new features that boost PC gaming include greater Virtual Reality and HDR support for games, DirectStorage for faster game loading times, and Auto HDR for making non-HDR games look better in terms of contrast. These features put PC gaming on par with Xbox gaming, although PC gaming is still dependent on hardware types.

Conclusion

From this review of Windows 11, it is conclusive that the latest operating system is a breath of new air. With the new Fluent Design language, Microsoft has nailed the visual design, proving to be a worthy replacement for the old Metro Design. It’s a pleasant upgrade that pulls Windows’ appearance and color into the present day.

In many respects, Windows 11 is closer to competitors like MacOS, Android, and Chrome than it has ever been, which I think is a positive thing. Windows 11 delivers a fresh new design, handy new features, updated default programs, expanded capabilities, and improved performance.

There is, however, more work to be done. Because you’re looking at the same functions as before, but with softer corners and a new icon, it can frequently feel like the redesign is nothing more than a reskin of Windows 10. The taskbar and Start menu, for example, might require additional refinement and upgrades because they currently lack the features and capabilities of their Windows 10 counterparts. Microsoft needs to go deeper and attempt to improve and refine several features and applications to bring them up to modern standards.

It is still early days for this new version of the operating system that’s used on 1.3 billion PCs, so we look forward to Microsoft fine-tuning and perfecting Windows 11’s design in future updates.

Have you installed and tested Windows 11 yet? In the comments box, let us know what you think of the operating system.

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FAQs

What is Windows 11?

Windows 11 is the latest Windows operating system released by Microsoft in October 2021.

Is Windows 11 better than Windows 10?

Windows 11 brings forth a fresh new design but the two operating systems are very similar under the hood. If your PC has less RAM and CPU power, Windows 11 will offer better performance than Windows 10.

Should I Upgrade to Windows 11?

Some time has passed since it was released and Microsoft has released updates and patches fixing bugs and adding features. If your computer meets the minimum requirements, it is best to upgrade.

What is TPM 2.0?

TPM is a hardware chip that stands for Trusted Platform Module, and its job is to protect data used to authenticate the PC you are using. TPM 2.0 is required to run Windows 11, as an important building block for security-related features.

What if I don’t like Windows 11 and want to go back?

If you installed Windows 11 on your computer through Windows Update, you can easily roll back the upgrade by going to Settings>System>Recovery and choosing “Go Back”. Bear in mind that this can only be done within 10 days of the initial upgrade to Windows 11.

If it’s been longer than the default of 10 days and you no longer have the option to roll back to Windows 10, you can only do a fresh installation of Windows 10.

If you have any more questions that have not been featured in the FAQs, please leave a comment.

Top Tech Trends in 2022

Top Tech Trends in 2022

In a world that is practically run by technology, more tech trends are coming to light. We live in times where so many sectors have been reinvented due to technological innovations; from the business sectors, agricultural sectors to educational sectors.

Different circumstances create several problems. In a bid to solve these problems, new tech innovations are developed, and before you realize what is going on, those innovations turn into trends. If you are wondering what the latest trends are, you have come to the right place. In this article, we look at some of the top tech trends that will shape the year as far as technology is involved.

If you are simply curious, or you are looking to be a part of the trend, this article will serve as the perfect starting point for the information you need.

Here are the top 10 tech trends in 2022

1. NFT (Non-Fungible Token)

Surely you have heard or seen this somewhere. NFTs are among the most-talked-about topic in the tech and business sector recently. You will find out why shortly.

So, What is NFT Exactly?

NFT simply means non-fungible token. It still doesn’t make sense right? Alright, let us break it down further. When something is ‘fungible’, it means that it can be traded for something else and you will still have the same thing in terms of value. Here is an example; when you trade your bitcoin with another, you basically still have the same thing but when it comes to non-fungible tokens aka NFTs, it is a one-of-a-kind trading chip.  When you trade one NFT for another, you will end up with something entirely different.

So, How Do NFTs Work?

If you are familiar with blockchains, then this should be easier for you to understand. NFTs are a part of the Ethereum blockchain. Basically, Ethereum is a cryptocurrency and its blockchain supports these NFTs.

In simple terms, blockchain is a system in which records of transactions made using bitcoin or another cryptocurrency are maintained.

What is an NFT Exactly?

An NFT can be anything really; anything digital of course. It could paintings, music, poetry, and so on. Anything digital could be an NFT and traded. The massive hype about the NFTs currently surrounds digital art.

2. The Metaverse

Next up in our list of top tech trends in 2022 is the metaverse. There has been a lot of excitement surrounding the metaverse as of late. It received an even bigger share of the limelight when Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg announced the renaming of the company to Meta a few months ago.

To put it simply, the metaverse is an extension of the world you see around you. It is a step further in the realm of virtual reality. In the metaverse, people are able to do everything anything they normally do in the real world. You can design your own avatar just like on the social medial platform, Snapchat, or the famous video game, The Sims. Users can access the metaverse using wearable technology like the Oculus wearable headset. You can attend meetings with associates that are a thousand miles away, go to concerts, shop in malls, and so on. This is one tech trend that is gaining rapid growth and hype in the coming months.

3. Data Fabric

Data fabric also known as data structure provides a flexible, resilient, and robust integration of data sources across platforms and enterprises, making data available everywhere it’s needed regardless of where the data lives.

Furthermore, it can use analytics to learn and actively recommend where data should be used and changed. This can reduce data management efforts by up to 70%.

4. Low-Code Services

Fourth in our list of top tech trends in 2022 is Low-Code. Developing software or a website is a lot of work. The bigger the project, the more tedious it is, the more hours are involved and a lot of written codes. When a company is up against time and needs a particular software ASAP, it provides quite a challenge for the developers, time factor plays a major role in software integrity issues. This is where low-code comes into play.

Low-code is an approach to software development that optimizes the entire development process and accelerates delivery.  With low-code, you can streamline the development of apps and software.

Gartner states:

By 2024, low-code application development will be responsible for more than 65% of application activity.

Gartner

Here are some of the benefits of low-code applications:

  • Cuts down software development time significantly.
  • Enables faster decision making among cross-functional teams
  • Improves developer productivity with low-code attributes such as development toolkits.

5. Automation and Hyper-Automation

Another tech top tech trend in 2022 that is here to stay is Automation and Hyper-Automation. Automation is what allows us to speed up the time spent performing all kinds of tasks and increase the accuracy with which we perform them. So with automation, we are guaranteed efficiency in the tasks we perform. 2022 is a year in which we will witness the continuous deployment of essential tools and developments designed to speed up the process of countless tasks. Improvement in effectiveness in performing tasks will free up some time for us from performing those tasks that can be fully automated so that we can dedicate ourselves only to those in which we cannot be automated. Hyper-automation will help to improve decision-making without losing quality, exponentially increasing speed and reducing operating costs by up to 30%.

6. Privacy Enhancing Computation

Nearly everyone is connected to the net via one form or another. With the increasing number of internet usage, personal data protection continues to be an issue for users worldwide. Privacy-enhancing computation is a measure to curb this issue.

Privacy-enhancing computation is the processing of personal data in untrusted environments. This is increasingly critical due to evolving privacy and data protection laws as well as the growing number of social networking customers.

Privacy-enhancing computation utilizes a variety of privacy-protection techniques to allow value to be extracted from data while still meeting compliance requirements.

7. Decision Intelligence

Decision intelligence is another top tech trend in 2022 that we cannot afford to leave out, and you will soon find out why.

Decision-making is never an easy task; there are so many factors to consider, and frankly, nobody wants to make the right decision, especially where business is involved. What if there was a way for organizational decision-making to be made significantly less difficult.

Decision intelligence is an approach that improves organizational decision-making. It models each decision as a set of processes, using intelligence and analytics to inform, learn from and refine decisions.

Decision intelligence can support and enhance human decision-making and, potentially, automate it through the use of augmented analytics, simulations, and AI.

8. Cybersecurity Mesh

Cybersecurity mesh is a flexible, composable architecture that integrates widely distributed and disparate security services.

It also enables best-of-breed, stand-alone security solutions to work together to improve overall security while moving control points closer to the assets they’re designed to protect. It can quickly and reliably verify identity, context, and policy adherence across cloud and non-cloud environments.

(Source: Gartner technology)

9. Predictive Analytics

Predictive analytics is a branch of advanced analysis technique that makes predictions about future outcomes using past data combined with statistics, data mining, and machine learning. A lot of companies worldwide employ predictive analysis to sift through tons of data in order to identify potential risks and benefits.

Predictive analysis helps businesses grow and attract profitable customers and improve business operations as a whole.

10. Hoarding Hot Tech Skills

Last but certainly not least in our list of top tech trends in 2022 is the pursuit of tech experts. Why is this a trend? Well, it is no overstatement that the demand for experts with tech skills is outweighing the current supply in the market. The effect of this is that companies that have these experts try hard to hold on to them. Compensation aside, techies look at other things when looking to be employed by a tech company; one of which is hybrid working.

Hybrid working doesn’t only mean one gets to work at home and at the office in equal measure, no. what this actually means is the flexibility and freedom for the employees.

Tech companies are increasingly employing such techniques in an effort to hold on to their prized workers.

Conclusion

The tech industry today is so robust that it is hard to keep track of the current and ongoing trends, So many opportunities, so many innovations, so many – ‘tech’.

It is indeed going to be a very eventful year in this sector, already there are a number of eyebrow-raising trends, and we haven’t even gone through 1/3rd of the year yet.

Of course, these aren’t the only trends out there, but these are the hottest so far.

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What Telehealth Is All About

What Telehealth Is All About

The internet is certainly a thing of wonder, it has shaped our lives into what it is today by changing the way we do so many things. You can keep in touch with a loved one despite being hundreds of miles apart, you can shop for groceries and so many other things from the comfort of your home, you can learn about practically anything you want without having to be in a classroom.

Nowadays you don’t necessarily have to go to a hospital to have your health checked, all you need is a smartphone and internet connection, and viola; this is what telehealth is. If you are still a little confused, you should not worry, by the end of this article, you will be fully acquainted with telehealth and what it is all about.

What is Telehealth?

Telehealth refers to the use of digital information and communication technology, such as computers and mobile devices, to access and manage health care services remotely. These could be technologies that you use at home or that your doctor employs to improve or supplement healthcare services.

Consider how telehealth could assist you if you suffer from an illness. Some or all of the following options are available to you:

  • Upload meal logs, prescriptions, dosage, and blood sugar readings to a nurse who answers electronically via a mobile phone or other devices.
  • Watch a video about carb counting and then get an app for your phone.
  • Use an app to calculate how much insulin you need based on your diet and exercise level.
  • See your test results, make appointments, seek prescription refills, and email your doctor via an online patient portal.
  • Online ordering is available for testing supplies and medications.
  • Rather than making an appointment with a specialist, get a mobile retinal photo screening in your doctor’s office.

What Are The Goals of Telehealth?

  1. Provide easy access to health services to people living in rural or isolated regions.
  2. Make services more accessible to persons who have restricted mobility, time, or transit alternatives.
  3. Access to medical specialists should be made available.
  4. Improve communication and care coordination between members of a healthcare team and patients.
  5. Provide assistance with health-care self-management.

Telehealth is all around us, as we can see. Telehealth is pervasive in today’s tech-based world, from your family doctor’s upcoming appointment text reminder to your chiropractor’s post-visit survey. And it isn’t likely to go away anytime soon. According to MarketsandMarkets, the worldwide telehealth market was valued at $2.78 billion in 2016, and it is expected to reach $9.35 billion by 2021, increasing at a compound annual rate of 12%.

Now is the moment to join the telehealth bandwagon if you haven’t already. But what is available in the telehealth sector, and which type of telehealth is ideal for your patient population?

The Four Types of Telehealth

1. Mobile Health (mHealth)

The use of smart devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.) and health-based software apps designed for these devices to promote continuing healthcare is known as mobile health. Many health-related applications are now available that can track everything from a diabetic’s blood sugar level to a person’s daily water intake. These applications encourage healthy lifestyle practices and can interact with a patient’s personal health information if they are built to do so.

2. Asynchronous Video

Asynchronous video is the electronic transmission of a patient’s documented health history by a healthcare provider outside of real-time. This sort of telehealth is commonly employed in remote locations when clinicians need to consult with a professional in another place. It also helps bring healthcare to areas where it is lacking, particularly in terms of specialists.

3. Remote Patient Monitoring

Remote patient monitoring is the collection of a patient’s health data from a patient or resident in one location and sending it electronically to a healthcare professional (provider, nurse, etc.) for monitoring and review. It is commonly used for seniors or in senior living settings. RPM is particularly useful in senior care facilities to prevent falls and keep an eye on residents’ vital signs.

4. Live Video-Conferencing

Live video conferencing, the most well-known kind of telehealth, is exactly what it sounds like: a live, two-way video-based conference between a patient and their healthcare provider. Everyone from physicians in local hospitals to clinicians who own their own private practice uses this type of telemedicine. Live video-conferencing not only saves time and stress for both the patient and the practitioner, but it also helps to bring healthcare to rural areas where there aren’t nearly as many possibilities as in cities.

The Difference between Telehealth and Telemedicine

For some that already know about telehealth, it is quite easy to mistake telehealth with telemedicine.

Telemedicine is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “healing from a distance.” This allows you to get treatment without having to make an appointment with your doctor or visit their office for medical services.

Telehealth on the other hand is the use of electronic data and telecommunications technology to support and promote long-distance clinical healthcare, patient and professional health education, public health, and health administration. Telehealth isn’t a product or a service. It’s a means of bettering patient care and physician education. Telehealth encompasses non-clinical events such as appointment scheduling, continuing medical education, and physician training, in addition to telemedicine.

The Benefits of Telehealth

  1. Everyone’s exposure to COVID-19 is reduced when physical contact is limited.
  2. You can access health care anywhere you are – at home, at work, or even in your car – with virtual visits.
  3. Virtual visits eliminate the need for travel, time off from work, and child care.
  4. Virtual health care tools can help you get an appointment sooner.
  5. Increased access to specialists who are based in locations other than your hometown

Conclusion

There are various sorts of telemedicine available in the ever-growing telehealth market that can help your patients improve their lifestyle behaviors and improve their overall health. Similarly, telehealth gives you a complete picture of your patient’s daily vitals, allowing you to intervene and/or change treatment to enhance their health.

Click here if you’d like to learn more about telehealth and how to incorporate it into your practice.

Let us know what you think about this amazing piece of tech innovation down in the comment section, and don’t forget to visit Northpad Nigeria for more informative write-ups!


FAQs

What types of care can I get using telehealth?

Lab test or x-ray results, therapy and online counseling, recurring conditions like migraines or urinary tract infections, skin conditions, prescription management, urgent care issues like colds, coughs, and stomach aches, post-surgical follow-up.

What does telehealth mean?

Telehealth allows your doctor to treat you without having to come into the office. Telehealth is primarily done online using a computer, tablet, or smartphone with internet connectivity.

What is the difference between telehealth and telemedicine?

Although these two terms are frequently used interchangeably (including on this website), there is a technical distinction. Telemedicine is the provision of remote clinical patient care, whereas telehealth encompasses a far larger variety of services such as education, patient monitoring, and so on while telehealth refers to the use of digital information and communication technology, such as computers and mobile devices, to access and manage health care services remotely. These could be technologies that you use at home or that your doctor employs to improve or supplement healthcare services.

What are some of the best telehealth apps for smartphones?

Some of the best-rated telehealth smartphone apps in 2022 are Teladoc, Sydney Care, Doximity, MDLive, TalkSpace, Doctor on-demand, and Healow.

How can I evaluate telehealth vendors?

Consider the following 4 critical variables while assessing telehealth vendors:

1. Security
2. Usability
3. Customer Service
4. Clinical Validation

What Virtual Reality Is All About

What Virtual Reality Is All About

As far as technology goes, we live in the best times in the history of mankind. We live in a time where things we see on TV are increasingly becoming real. Some of our favorite sci-fi concepts have found their way from the TV screens to the real world. One of our favourite fictional ideas is virtual reality. Well the enthusiast, virtual reality is no longer a thing of fiction. A lot of top tech companies have been toying with virtual reality technology for a while now.

This article is meant for virtual reality fans and those that do not know what it’s all about. Read on to the very end, you are guaranteed to learn a lot about what virtual reality is.

What Is Virtual Reality?

So, what is virtual reality, and what is it all about?

Virtual Reality (VR) is a computer-generated environment with scenes and objects that appear to be real, making the user feel they are immersed in their surroundings.  Instead of viewing a screen in front of them, users are immersed and able to interact with 3D worlds. By simulating as many senses as possible, such as vision, hearing, touch, even smell, the computer is transformed into a gatekeeper to this artificial world. The only limits to near-real VR experiences are the availability of content and cheap computing power.

Is There a Difference Between Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality?

While both these concepts are built around simulation, there is indeed a difference between the two. Think of augmented reality as an inverted virtual reality. Are you still having trouble picturing it? Let’s take it a step further.

Augmented reality involves the simulation of virtual objects in the real world, your physical environment while virtual reality simulates an environment for you to inhabit.

In Augmented Reality, the computer uses sensors and algorithms to determine the position and orientation of a camera. AR technology then renders the 3D graphics as they would appear from the viewpoint of the camera, superimposing the computer-generated images over a user’s view of the real world.

In Virtual Reality, the computer uses similar sensors and math. However, rather than locating a real camera within a physical environment, the position of the user’s eyes is located within the simulated environment. If the user’s head turns, the graphics react accordingly. Rather than compositing virtual objects and a real scene, VR technology creates a convincing, interactive world for the user.

What Are Some of the Ways Virtual Reality Is Applied?

1. Virtual Reality in Sports

Professional sports teams, in particular, are investing in virtual reality to obtain a competitive advantage. Coaches in the NFL and collegiate football are introducing virtual reality technology into their workouts to prepare for games. Virtual reality is being used by NASCAR drivers and soccer teams to retrace their steps and learn from their mistakes.

When it comes to fans, virtual reality is all about new experiences. Users can view highlights from the perspective of a player in the NBA.

2. Virtual Reality in Retail

Online purchasing is convenient, but it frequently requires us to buy first and then try. However, virtual reality allows you to preview furnishings in your own home and test on makeup on your actual skin. Customers will have a better experience as a result of this, and returns will be reduced.

Retailers can deepen engagement with current and potential customers by bringing VR to the next level. They can collect data to sell and customize each user’s buying experience.

3. Virtual Reality in Automotive

In the automotive industry, virtual reality encourages experimentation over a pricey prototype. Ford is utilizing virtual reality technology to bypass the 2D drawing step and go into a 3D model. When creating and redesigning external and interior components, saves time.

Audi and Tesla, for example, are taking this a step further with their virtual showrooms. Users can use their headsets to explore new features and adjustments while driving.

4. Virtual Reality in Healthcare

Virtual reality technology has been widely adopted in the healthcare industry. It aids in the training and preparation of their specialists for real-world scenarios, such as surgery. Complex operations can be planned out by groups. They can even diagnose and cure patients created by computers.

Virtual reality is also being utilized to investigate mental health therapy options. It’s been used to cure a variety of conditions, including alcoholism, claustrophobia, depression, and more. Because headsets may be used in the comfort of one’s own home, they can be a safer and more cost-effective solution for many clients.

5. Virtual Reality in Education/Training

Students were compelled to learn online due to the pandemic. While technologies such as Zoom can help with collaboration, they frequently fall short. Virtual reality can be beneficial. It has the potential to increase student involvement and attentiveness.

But virtual reality isn’t just for academics. Retailers, IT firms, and even the military are utilizing tools to assist in the training of their employees.

What companies are heavily involved with the production of virtual reality technology?

Seeing as virtual reality is one piece of technology that is definitely here to stay, a number of heavyweight tech companies have invested a fortune in its development and production. Here is a compiled list of the top 10 companies heavily involved with VR:

  1. iTechArt
  2. Oculus VR
  3. HTC
  4. Samsung
  5. Microsoft
  6. Unity
  7. VironIT
  8. Alphabet/Google
  9. Next/Now
  10. CemtrexLabs

Conclusion

Virtual reality is one of the technologies with the most promising future growth prospects. According to IDC Research (2018), investment in virtual reality and augmented reality will increase 21-fold over the next four years, reaching 15.5 billion euros by 2022. Furthermore, these technologies will be critical to businesses’ digital transformation efforts, with spending in this area expected to surpass that of the consumer sector by 2019. By 2020, it is estimated that more than half of the larger European enterprises will have implemented a VR and RA strategy.

This is one concept millions of people are truly excited about; we know we are, but let us know what you think down in the comment section. Also, be sure to check out Northpad Nigeria and read exciting tech articles!

FAQs

What is virtual reality?

Virtual Reality (VR) is a computer-generated environment with scenes and objects that appear to be real, making the user feel they are immersed in their surroundings.

What is the difference between virtual reality and augmented reality?

Augmented reality is the simulation of virtual objects in the real world while virtual reality involves the creation of a virtual environment to be inhabited.

What is virtual reality used for?

Virtual reality is used for a lot of things. To name a few, it is prominently used in gaming, healthcare, education, aviation, and the military.

Do you need any special qualifications to use VR technology?

No. you do not need any special qualifications to use. A lot of VR technology is mass being mass-produced for household use.

How much does a VR headset cost?

There are a lot of affordable VR headsets out there. It’ll cost you anywhere between $299 and $1000; Of Course, it goes even higher than that.

What is the difference between   stand-alone VR and PC VR?

Standalone VR is any VR headset that works completely by itself. In contrast, PC VR is any headset that requires a constant connection to a nearby PC

What is Mixed reality?

Mixed reality (MR) is the merging of real and virtual worlds to produce new environments and visualizations, where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real time.