Rumble in the jungle

2007.12.31 by Jan Fredrik Frantzen

The Tromsø Telemedicine Laboratory is on the way into its second year. Routines are in place, the technology is in development, and the centre is getting ready to achieve new goals.

As in nature, the jungle in TTL may hold answers to many of our health challenges in the decades to come. Photo: Jan Fredrik Frantzen, NST.

"Half of the PhD students we are to educate at TTL are already in place. This will be one of the cornerstones for the long-term research at the centre," explains Per Hasvold, administrative head of the Tromsø Telemedicine Laboratory (TTL).

In addition, half of the PhD students are women, and the community in development is highly cosmopolitan. The students' home countries include Norway, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Japan.

Finding the answers in the jungle

And they are coming to a location that reflects the spirit of new ideas and innovation. Several walls are papered with a motif influenced by the jungle. Long blades of grass stretch up towards the ceiling, perhaps to stimulate the curiosity of the researchers?

"We have space for about 30 people who can sit and work with each other here in the 'jungle'. Here, researchers from all the partners in TTL will be able to work together with each other and hone their skills on each other's ideas and knowledge.

"So we are ready for a new year in TTL, in which research and innovation will take centre stage. Among other activities, the centre is closely linked with next years' Tromsø Telemedicine and eHealth conference, which in 2008 addresses innovation in eHealth."

Will work together with the primary health service

An important focus in TTL is to develop solutions that can help users to master their own health situation and provide help at the lowest possible level in the public health service – and as close as possible to their homes. This will be very important for the health and care service.

"It means that the primary health service will be an important future user of the technology we are developing here at TTL. For this reason, it is important for us to receive comments and suggestions from those who are working in this sector, so that their knowledge can contribute to shaping the solutions of tomorrow," concludes Hasvold.

Contact person at TTL

Administrative head of TTL, Per Hasvold. Telephone +47 913 29 041 and email Per.Hasvold@telemed.no

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