                  Rishon
Sabri, 2024To contact the author, please e-mail: rishonsabri@gmail.com |
Case Study: Tricorders
 Tricorders are scanning devices often used
in Star Trek, which can scan for things ranging from illnesses in the
ship's crew to anomalies in space time. They are one of the best
examples of technology in Star Trek that are almost possible using
current technology, such as the diagnostic tools EchoNous' KOSMOS and
the Butterfly IQ. The KOSMOS is a three in one device, using ultrasound, an electronic stethoscope and an electrocardiogram all in one device at one time. These technologies have already been used to evaluate patients with COVID-19 and the Butterfly IQ has found to be a better diagnostic tool than x-rays to diagnose COVID-19 pneumonia. In the future these technologies could become even more advanced, further resembling technology in science fiction. Although it seems distant from now, the Butterfly IQ also seemed extremely distant in the 1960s. Check4 another affordable handheld device for molecular disease diagnostics, including for detecting COVID-19 (and other pathogens). Gregory Hummer, the Founder & CEO of IdentifySensors, the company which developed Check4, recounts his inspiration for the invention. "Personally, I'll never forget that moment in Star Trek: Voyager where Ensign Harry Kim hands The Doctor the wrong Tricorder. The Doctor scolds the young Ensign by saying, "Medical Tricorder". Instantly I was curious about what this device could do". Moreover, due to how close the tricorder is to technology we have now it can be used as a goal for technological advancement, as seen when there was a competition in early 2017, the Qualcomm Tricorder XPrize competition, awarding over $10,000,000 to teams that could recreate a tricorder. This is a clear example of how Star Trek has motivated people to make advancements in science and set goals for our development. The fact that this serious industry competition specifically refers to the word "tricorder" speaks volumes about the influence that Star Trek has had on this technology..
|
||
