Real life Tricorder

Star Trek had some nifty gadgets. One of the more useful ones is becoming real. The medical tricorder was pretty amazing. A few seconds scanning someone with that little device and they knew exactly what was wrong with the person.

Now a number of companies are closing in on an X prize for the development of a real life device that can do what was only possible in Science Fiction.

This is going to be huge. Right now they are focusing on 16 conditions. That's where it's starting. We all have seen how fast electronic devices can be improved. Before long we'll begin to think of it as a Doctor in a Box. Imagine what that will do for treatment of disease in poor countries. Now think what it will do to the high price of medicine all over the world.

People will no longer have to suffer long waits for their test results to get back from the lab. The sooner a problem is discovered, the sooner it can be treated. If everyone had access to such devices, we'd be able to take better control over our own health.

Imagine if such devices come down in price so that every household could have one. They could be a standard part of all first aid kits.

I'm not usually the first to adopt new technology, but as soon as these become available for the civilian market, I'm going to seriously consider buying one. Could I afford not to?

-Sixbears