That damn show was right about everything!
The famed Starfleet issued instrument Tricorder from the Star Trek franchise is now an inspiration for a new non-invasive medical device!
True the device already has a bunch of dummy models and apps to validate it, but this is a new high.
The device from the series was the vision of the future, with no invasive tests and fast, accurate results. And all you had to do was to swipe it in front of the patient and the multifunctional handheld device would be able to read the vitals and diagnose a host of diseases.
In April this year, a star trek tricorder inspired contest- Qualcomm Tricorder X Prize, was held through which emerged the winners- Final Frontier Medical Devices and Dynamical Biomarkers Group out of about 300 participants.
The work of both the teams focused on integrating multiple technologies into a single device and both of these devices were found to meet the contest benchmarks for accurately diagnosing 13 different diseases including anemia, diabetes, lung disease, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections.
Final Frontier Medical Devices and Basil Leaf Technologies won first prize with their DxtER device which is an AI-equipped iPad that uses
non-invasive sensors to collect data about body chemistry, biological functions, and vital signs.The second place secured by the Dynamical Biomarkers Group found a device which was produced by three wireless handheld test modules: the Smart Blood-Urine Test Kit, the Smart Vital-Sense Monitor, and the Smart Scope Module; these modules could in turn be connected to a smartphone for further analysis of blood, urine, skin appearance, and vital signs.
But unlike the “Star Trek” tricorder, these devices may not be able to diagnose all ailments with the swipe of a wand. Still, they nevertheless deserve some sci-fi cred.
Although a real tricorder breakthrough would mean diagnostic ability in the field and a powerful new weapon against disease and other public health issues. Despite not being the actual device, it certainly completes the puzzle, and now all we have to do is assemble the other pieces to put together to create the reality.
