Science inspires science fiction, or vice versa? In the case of medical technology, the good old Star Trek series has inspired generations of researchers around the world. Recently, two teams were awarded the Qualcomm Tricorder X Prize for developing handheld devices that can diagnose a range of diseases and check a patient's vital symptoms without invasive tests. The medical "tricorder" from "Star Trek" was taken as a basis.
In the series, the doctor used a tricorder and its removable scanner to quickly collect patient data and instantly know what was wrong with him. It could check the function of organs and determine diseases or their causes, and also contained data on various forms of alien life. How close are we to creating such a device (assuming we don't need to analyze aliens with it)?
The main goal of the two laureates is to combine several technologies in one device. They have not yet created a universal all-in-one machine, but they have made significant progress.
The main winner, DxtER, created by American firm Basil Leaf Technologies, is in fact an AI-powered iPad app. It uses a series of non-invasive sensors that can be attached to the body to collect data on vital signs, body chemistry, and biological functions. Similar technology from Taiwan's Dynamical Biomarkers Group likewise connects to a smartphone and several wireless handheld test modules that can analyze vital signs, blood and urine, and skin manifestations.
The judges said both devices nearly met benchmarks for accurately diagnosing 13 diseases, including anemia, lung disease, diabetes, pneumonia, and urinary tract infection. These are the most successful efforts we have seen employing a convenient, unified and portable diagnostic system.
Part of the success has come from the development of the various technologies that make up such all-in-one systems, although they certainly still have a long way to go. Perhaps the most advanced are mobile vital signs monitoring devices. For example, the ViSi Mobile System can remotely monitor all vital signs, including blood pressure, blood oxygen, heart rate and electrical activity, and skin temperature. It uses electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors attached to the chest, a thumb cuff pressure sensor, both attached to a removable wristband, that transmits all signals wirelessly to a desktop or mobile device with the same accuracy as conventional intensive care equipment …
All the various data sensors from such a system must provide meaningful data - and this requires special software. Airstrip Technologies software can extract information from hundreds of different types of patient monitors and other equipment, including medical records, scan results and even notification systems, to paint a complete picture of patient changes in real time.
Wearable imaging technology is another essential element to diagnose a patient and provide relevant information. There are already miniature USB ultrasound probes that can be connected directly to a smartphone to produce instant ultrasound images. With the quality of mobile cameras and imaging capabilities, these technologies will only get better in the near future. Instant X-rays or machine learning diagnostics of skin problems will become readily available.
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Data and diagnostics
Imaging and vital signs alone are not enough for a fully automated device that can tell what is wrong with a patient. The most mature technology we have in this area is for diabetes surveillance. Portable blood glucose meters that can test a drop of blood on paper can already be connected to mobile apps to assess the severity of the condition.
In the meantime, completely non-invasive glucose measurement methods are being developed that do not require piercing a finger to get a drop of blood. These include analyzing sweat or interstitial fluid located a few micrometers below the surface of the skin (above the pain nerves).
Several innovative companies around the world are focusing on using these pocket systems to diagnose other diseases, including HIV, tuberculosis, bacterial infections and cardiovascular disease. They rely on a key microfluidic technology that uses specially designed microchips to manipulate small amounts of fluid.
Commonly known as the lab-on-a-chip, it reduces a complete clinical laboratory test system to a device a few centimeters across. You can take a sample, prepare it for testing (for example, by isolating bacteria from the blood), and determine if germs are present.
While significant progress has been made in the development of the particles and parts of the tricorder, there is still work to be done to make it all in a separate portable device. There is still a lot of equipment to miniaturize and some progress to be made in laptop computers so that they can process all the information and data needed for a complete picture of a patient's health. There is also need to develop deeper diagnostic functions such as lab-on-a-chip and portable imaging systems, as well as less invasive testing methods. We don't have a tricorder yet, but it's getting closer every day.
ILYA KHEL