While the immediate future is unlikely to yield AI pseudo-human carers, the notion of robots aiding the elderly is closer than ever. All over the world – especially in Japan, where more than a quarter of the population is over 65 – technology and healthcare are starting to overlap.

HealthTap is a website and smartphone app that allows users to quiz doctors about health concerns and get prompt answers to their queries. It is part of a growing trend of using technology to empower people to better manage their own health.

Pharmaceutical companies are constantly reinventing familiar health products. By challenging this with a ‘less is more’ philosophy, Help Remedies is heralding the rise of ‘minimalist medicine' aimed at informed healthcare consumers.

Individuals are now able to monitor every aspect of their physical and mental health. Sleeping, eating, exercise and social activities can be analysed in real time and shared with a like-minded community. But what does this mean for brands?