The race to invent quicker and convenient methods for monitoring infections during the pandemic, also opened doors for medtech to flourish thanks to a demand for non invasive devices. Inventors in the Middle East have since launched gadgets like wearables that tackle migraines without drugs, and ways to monitor patients undergoing dialysis in a contactless manner.

Apart from Turkish origin doctors who helped introduce one of the first vaccines to stamp out the virus, inventors from the country have been in the news for a 10-second test to replace the painful PCR process. In yet another boost for health-tech innovators in Turkey, the prestigious Harvard University is banking on their device to provide relief from chronic pain and other conditions.

The product called Vagustim stimulates a the vagus nerve which is situated under the ears, using a low intensity electric current. Zapping this part makes parasympathetic nerves more active, and leads to regulation of autonomic nerves.

Designed to address migraines, the mechanism also works on issues caused by injuries or complications triggered by allergies. The adoption of this tech by Harvard will provide a boost for the startup behind it, which hopes to secure funds for moving towards mass production in the near future.

Vagustim is also a smart device which uses internet of things to collect information about patients, so that the intensity of the current for nerve stimulation can be customised according to individual requirements. So while it does the job without penetrating the skin, this gadget provides a higher level of personalised care.

As Turkish talent worked on this approach towards pain relief, their peers in other parts of the Middle East also created wearables to stimulate nerves, for tackling disabilities. Similar tech is also being used to improve vision among people who have one weak eye.

Methods for non-invasive diagnosis in the Middle East also include sensors that measure personal well being from vibrations caused by vital organs on the surface of the skin.