What If Medical Devices Had Personalities? Bringing Empathy to Health Tech

“Please remain still. You are doing great.”

Now imagine hearing those words… not from a nurse or a doctor, but from the medical device itself.

Sounds strange? Maybe.

But what if I told you that might just be the future of medical technology?

One where machines don’t just monitor you - they encourage you.

Where It All Began: My Chatty Google Maps Moment

Last month, I was on a long family drive - no tech, no distractions, just the open road and Google Maps as our co-pilot. Somewhere between wrong turns and “recalculating,” I joked, “What if Google Maps had emotions?”

The first wrong exit? A friendly nudge: “No worries, we will get there!”

But miss a few more and it’s like, “Mate, do you even want directions?”

Speed up too much? “This isn’t the Grand Prix!”

Too slow? “We will get there next year at this rate!”

We laughed, but it sparked a thought - what if medical devices had personalities too?

That little idea stuck… and this article is where it led.

The Problem with “Cold” Technology

Medical devices have come a long way.

We have gone from clunky, mechanical gadgets to sophisticated Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) that delivers life-saving interventions.

But one thing hasn’t changed much: how patients feel when using them.

For most people, interacting with a medical device is impersonal, clinical… and sometimes downright intimidating.

You have probably seen it:

• A ventilator that alarms loudly, causing panic in a hospital room.
• A home-use blood glucose monitors that beep coldly when your sugar is off but doesn’t tell you what to do next.
• An MRI scanner that clanks and clunks while you lie there wondering if you are being launched into space.

We have perfected compliance, reliability, and risk management - but have we forgotten empathy?

What If Medical Devices Had Personalities?

Let’s have some fun. What if your medical device could comfort you?

• The Glucose Monitor with Encouragement: “Well done! Your levels are on point today. Keep up the great work - and don’t forget to hydrate!” OR “Hmm, numbers are a bit high… but hey, tomorrow’s another day! Let’s plan a healthy snack together.”
• The Blood Pressure Monitor with Humour: “Deep breaths! Let’s imagine we are on a beach somewhere… Okay, ready for the next reading?” OR “Relax… unless you are watching a thriller. Then I get it.”
• The Infusion Pump That Reassures: “Just a heads-up: you are halfway through your infusion. You are doing great! Let’s keep going.” OR “Almost done! I will be quiet now, but you are in good hands.”
• The SaMD App That Motivates: “Look at you - two days in a row of perfect logs! Who’s on fire? You are!” OR “No worries if you missed yesterday’s entry. Let’s get back on track together!”
• The Digital Thermometer That Celebrates: “36.7°C - right on target! Gold star for you today!” OR “Uh-oh, you are running a little hot! Time for some rest and a cool drink, maybe?”
• The Surgical Robot That Talks to the Surgeon (and Patient!): “Scalpel ready. We are on the same page here, right? Let’s make this flawless.” OR (Prior to procedure): “Hi, I’m assisting Dr. Smith today. I have done 500 of these procedures without a shaky hand!”

Sounds futuristic?

Not entirely.

We are already adding empathy to user interfaces in health apps. Voice assistants like Alexa deliver health reminders in a conversational tone.

Why not bring that human connection to medical devices?

Empathy-Driven Design: More Than Just a Nice Idea

This isn’t just fluff.

Empathy reduces anxiety. Anxiety affects outcomes. In MedTech, that’s a clinical issue.

“An MRI machine that gently walks the patient through every step can lower stress, reducing motion artifacts that ruin imaging quality.”

Designing devices with personality or at least empathetic interaction can:

• Improve user compliance (think of home-use devices like CPAP machines or glucose monitors).
• Reduce alarm fatigue (when machines scream at you, people start ignoring them).
• Build trust, which is everything in healthcare.

How Could It Work?

Human-Cantered Interfaces

• Use positive reinforcement, clear language, and soothing tones in displays or audio prompts.
• Imagine a colour-coded interface that doesn’t scream red for every minor alert.

Emotionally Intelligent Alarms

• Instead of a terrifying beep, how about a gentle chime for non-urgent reminders?
• Or personalised messages: “No worries, let’s try that reading again!”

Conversational UIs

AI-driven devices could deliver two-way conversations, but even without AI, scripted interactions can be designed to sound natural and supportive.

Customisable Personality Settings

What if you could choose your device’s “voice”?

• Calm and clinical?
• Friendly and motivational?
• Or maybe the sarcastic best friend version: “Come on, you got this. I’m not doing all the work here!”

Why Bother? Isn’t This Overkill?

Some might say, “A device is just a tool. We don’t need it to talk to us.”

Now, this is where it gets interesting:

We are humans.

And humans don’t engage with tools; we engage with experiences.

A patient who trusts and feels at ease with their medical device is more likely to:

• Use it properly
• Stick to treatment plans
• Report issues early
• Have better outcomes

So, is it overkill? Or just good design?

What We Need to Consider

Ethical Boundaries

• Devices should support, not mislead. Patients need to know when they are interacting with a machine, not a human.
• Transparency builds trust.

Cultural Sensitivity

• Empathy looks different around the world. What’s reassuring in one culture may feel intrusive in another.

Regulatory and Safety Implications

• We will need to ensure all these features pass risk assessments, human factors evaluations, and regulatory scrutiny.

The Future: Humanised Devices for Human Lives

Healthcare is personal. It’s emotional.

And while compliance and clinical outcomes will always be top priorities, patient experience should be just as important.

Imagine a world where medical devices aren’t just cold tools but empathetic partners in health.

Wouldn’t you want to be treated by a device that cared?

“We are not far from a future where your medical device not only saves lives but makes you smile along the way.”

What Do You Think?

Are we ready to give medical devices personalities?

Would empathy-driven design change how patients interact with technology?

Drop your thoughts in the comments as whether you are:

• Team COT (Chat Over Tech) – for those who want devices to talk
• Team DND (Data, No Dialogue) – for those who just want clean data

I would love to hear from you.

Bloopers:

Of course, even devices with personality need a little… personality management. Here are a few ‘bloopers’ I am still working on

Blooper 1: The Overly Honest Glucose Monitor

“Whoa! What did you eat, buddy? I haven’t seen numbers like that since the biriyani party!”

Update Needed: Maybe tone down the sass and add a supportive follow-up… nobody needs judgment from their device!

Blooper 2: The Overly Cheerful MRI Machine

“Buckle up, get ready for some severe turbulence! It’s my favourite part - sounds like a rock concert in here!”

Update Needed: Switching to soothing spa music commentary rather than reminding patients they are in a metal tube of noise.

Blooper 3: The Motivational Inhaler Gone Rogue

“Nice puff! You are breathing like a champion! I’m putting you in for Lung Olympics!”

Update Needed: Perhaps cool it on the competitive spirit… not everyone wants to feel like they are in a training montage.