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Research that turns honey sci-fi into science fact is probably my favorite thing, right upwardly there with inquiry published with no paywall. I've talked before almost how easy it would be to make a tricorder, along with some other Star Trek tech. Lo and behold, the X Prize Foundation has taken up the challenge, and there'south a Tricorder X Prize to be awarded in 2022.

The handheld bit has to be less than v pounds (~2kg), and the tricorders have to be capable of diagnosing a whole range of medical conditions. According to the official site, "The winners volition be the (upward to) three solutions achieving the highest score in vital signs, consumer experience, and diagnostics beyond a set of 12 singled-out diseases besides as absenteeism of conditions (see Guidelines (PDF) for full details). This diagnosis must be performed in the hands of a consumer, independently of a healthcare worker or facility."

This is what the devices have to be capable of, simply with the applied tech hither, diagnosis of many more conditions is possible.

The Tricorder X Prize handbag is $10 million in total, with no less than $6M going to the best in testify. At that place'south even a $1M bonus for the team whose tricorder does the best job taking vital signs.

Basil Leaf Technologies, out of Pennsylvania and led by Basil Harris, an emergency room medico who as well has a doctorate in engineering, entered the competition as Concluding Frontier Medical Devices, with a solution chosen DxtER (pronounced "Dexter").

DxtER

DxtER. XPRIZE

Dynamical Biomarkers Group, from Taiwan, fielded the T06. Squad lead Chung-Kang Peng is basically on the aforementioned page every bit Harris, remarking, "Taiwan has a universal healthcare system. It covers about 99.nine% of the population. There had to exist a way to reduce the costs." The T06 is likewise pretty sleek, and it even has a housing that the whole kit tucks away neatly within.

It'due south worth noting that both finalist teams went with a single small-scale glowing rectangle (tablet or smartphone) and several discrete accompanying widgets. Rather than endeavour to jam it all inside one hardware housing, both teams seem to think that it's worth having a few accessories. This could lend itself to customizing a kit later on, with only the extensions a user wants to include.

The prize is being sponsored by Qualcomm, in the way that Progressive sponsored the Automotive Ten Prize. "Star Expedition has inspired many engineers on a quest to improve the world by turning science fiction into reality. The Communicator preceded the smartphone, which has revolutionized our personal interactions, and provided instant access to noesis and entertainment," said Paul Jacobs, executive chairman of Qualcomm.

Spock with his tricorder

Julie Nimoy, by the way, daughter of Leonard Nimoy, speaks on the Tricorder X Prize website. Her particular cause is COPD, one of the must-catch diseases on the X Prize mandatory list. She'due south actually co-producer of the short film COPD: Highly Casuistic—A Special Tribute to Leonard Nimoy. Nimoy points out that earlier COPD took her male parent's life, his concluding mission was to educate the public almost the silent killer that is COPD. She further remarks that tricorders didn't only diagnose well-educated Starfleet officers; tricorders worked on any life form. "Illness does not discriminate," Nimoy wrote, "and all beings have a right to lead healthy lives." In other words… to live long and prosper.