Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Kharazmi University
2 Payame Noor University
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the applicability of maps obtained from the co-word analysis of patents for medical and laboratory equipment using the opinions of experts in this field.
Methodology: This research has been done in two stages. In the first stage, all-word analysis technique was used to extract concepts and draw thematic maps based on rank centrality, intermediate and proximity indicators. Then, in the second stage, using the Delphi technique, the opinions of a group of experts in the field of medical and laboratory equipment were used to evaluate the applicability of the maps and analyzes extracted in the first stage. The statistical population of the present study in the first stage is all the patents in the field of medical and laboratory equipment that have been registered in the database of the US Patent and Trademark Office in the period 1984 to 2014. In the second phase of this research, to implement the Delphi method, a panel consisting of a group of specialists in the field of medical and laboratory equipment who had a history of service and activity in this field, was formed.
Results: Thematic maps could be useful in providing an overview of the content of patents in the field of medical and laboratory equipment. If scientific plans in the field of medical and laboratory equipment become a road map, they can have a positive impact on the decisions of experts in this field. Also, by eliminating the shortcomings in the scientific plans of medical and laboratory equipment, it is possible to improve the existing technologies in this field. Therefore, drawn scientific maps can be a good tool for those who want to gain a basic understanding of patents in the field of medical and laboratory equipment.
Conclusion: The maps obtained from the co-word analysis of patents in the field of medical and laboratory equipment have been able to be effective in understanding the content of this scientific field.
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