Radiation technology a health care innovation: a socio-technical perspective of x-ray to CT scan transition
Author Affiliations
- 1Centre for Studies in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, School of Social Sciences, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
Int. Res. J. Social Sci., Volume 9, Issue (4), Pages 60-65, October,14 (2020)
Abstract
Technologies do not fulfil societal functions on their own. They themselves have no power and do nothing. They are never applied in a vacuity, but invariably in an application area. They are composed of various artefacts, organizations, scientists, legislations, norms, and values scattered over time, place, crossing over several boundaries. They are structured to help and full fill its functions. They are emerged not just from an individual, firm, but from a wide network of system of actors (Universities, research institutes, government programs, R&D departments in firms)1. This paper evaluates the technology, radiation from a socio-technical system analysis perspective. The study identifies the niches, regimes and landscape accounts for the transition of X-ray to a Computed Tomography (CT) scan technology. Through a multi-level perspective analysis, the study finds that the technology X-ray encompasses all five regimes: technological-industrial, science-laboratories and scientists and universities, user/market-industrial, medical services, airport, aerospace and so on, policy-Indian government, and socio-cultural-patients, womens etcetera. It inhibits all dimensions of the socio-technical system. The landscape created before the arrival of the radiation technology-X-ray, supported several novelties like; König tube, Gilberts electron, Torricellis barometer, Faradays anode and cathode, Eugen Golsteins cathode ray, accumulated and resulted in the discovery X-ray and later to a CT scan technology-creating a seamless web with various regimes before its use in medical care management.
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