Qualcomm and X Prize Foundation offer $10 million for functioning medical “tricorder”

Qualcomm and Peter Diamandis’ X Prize Foundation have announced a new X Prize for a functioning device akin to the medical Tricorder featured on the science fiction television series Star Trek. At stake is a $10 million prize for the first device that meets the requirements as described by the coordinators. X Prize initiatives are long-term initiatives meant to spur creative thinking around a somewhat specific set of issues. As such, the X Prizes provide an interesting opportunity to explore future possibilities with students, researchers, etc. This particular X Prize, with its links to science fiction is an especially good opportunity to also consider the impact of the imaginative arts on constructions of the future; a topic that I discussed in this previous post (also see Cory Doctorow’s article on the same topic).

One of the interesting things with this prize is that, on Star Trek, the “tricorder” has always been a somewhat mystical device capable of many things. Essentially, it is a device with many sensors that is able to gather and process vast amounts of data to inform the users about “stuff”. The “tri-” in its name refers to the three basic functions of a tricorder; geological functions, meteorological functions, and biological functions. That’s a pretty awesome range of capabilities for one device (albeit that some of the functions required an add-on device).

The X Prize version of the tricorder is expected to be considerably more specific in terms of its capabilities than the Star Trek tricorder ever has been. The X Prize is specifically looking for a medical tricorder (i.e. the Star Trek tricorder’s biological functions), that is described as:

… a tool capable of capturing key health metrics and diagnosing a set of 15 diseases. Metrics for health could include such elements as blood pressure, respiratory rate, and temperature. Ultimately, this tool will collect large volumes of data from ongoing measurement of health states through a combination of wireless sensors, imaging technologies, and portable, non-invasive laboratory replacements.

This is certainly not the first time that we look to Star Trek for visions of preferred futures. The original cell phone was inspired by the Star Trek “communicator”, as has been fairly well documented. A range of other Star Trek technologies have influenced scientists and researchers, such as the “transporter”, capable of moving matter over vast distances almost instantaneously.

The authors of the Star Trek television series had the luxury of being able to come up with fantastic technology without being burdened with the task of having to figure out how to make it work. But, in the process, they continue to inspire scientists and researchers to push the limits of their fields to make these things real. It’s an excellent reminder that innovation is a collaborative process that requires a combination of imagination, creativity, and knowledge. There’s a place for everyone in this complex process and we never really know where the breakthrough, that will move an idea significantly closer to realization, will come from. So, gather all the minds; young and old, learned and learning, etc., and let’s get cracking on this thing. I, for one, can’t wait to be diagnosed by a tricorder.