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"Real-life Tricorder" To Be Tested On International Space Station

Posted by samzenpus on from the take-a-green-pill dept.

cylonlover writes "While still impressive, the capabilities of early 'tricorders,' such as the Scanadu and Dr Jansen's tricorder, fall well short of the Star Trek device that inspired them. But a new miniaturized version of a flow cytometer called the Microflow to be tested on the International Space Station (ISS) brings the age of instant diagnosis of medical conditions using a portable device a step closer. The Microflow could also make its way into doctor's offices here on Earth where it might help cut down on the number of follow up visits required after waiting to get results back from the lab."

46 comments

  1. Short version by wbr1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    For the tl;dr people
    Not a tricorder but very effin cool.

    --
    Silence is a state of mime.
    1. Re:Short version by slashmydots · · Score: 2

      but see, they don't need one since the ISS has an onboard emergency medical hologram :-P

    2. Re:Short version by denis-The-menace · · Score: 1

      Also, there was 2 types of tricorders:
      Spock's regular tricorder
      Bones' medical tricorder. (has a scanning cylinder that detaches fro the unit)

      --
      Obama's legacy: (N)othing (S)ecure (A)nywhere and (T)error (S)imulation (A)dministration
  2. My tricorder by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    is an android that connects to webmd.

    1. Re:My tricorder by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 2

      No, that's a PADD.

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  3. Ready for by rossdee · · Score: 1

    Paramount lawsuit in 3 2 1

    Anyway where on the ISS are they going to find the alien life(but not as we know it)form to test it on?

    1. Re:Ready for by PPH · · Score: 5, Funny

      Dammit Jim! I'm a doctor, not a patent attorney!

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
    2. Re:Ready for by CheshireDragon · · Score: 4, Funny

      I'd like to see Paramount take a spaceship up and try and try to enforce.
      besides, I am not a Star Trek fan, but didn't that one guy say if anyone could make a real one, then to do it?

      --
      "That's right...I said it."
    3. Re:Ready for by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 2

      You mean CBS. ;)

      Oh and, no, it's explicitly stated they'll allow a product called a 'tricorder' if it really is a tool for helping mankind. Gene had high hopes for us.

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    4. Re:Ready for by wbr1 · · Score: 4, Funny

      I canna give her any more cap'n. Not till we pay the patent licensing fees for the matter-anti matter converters.

      --
      Silence is a state of mime.
    5. Re:Ready for by Steauengeglase · · Score: 1

      I was always under the impression that Roddenberry went out of his way to make sure there was an exception for "Tricorder" so that it wasn't trademark incumbered (hoping that the term would gain traction); though you can't violate the "look & feel" of Paramount's IP. I could be wrong though.

    6. Re:Ready for by mcgrew · · Score: 1

      Anyway where on the ISS are they going to find the alien life (but not as we know it) form to test it on?

      If it's "as we know it" it isn't alien. As to where to find aliens, since none of the astronauts are native to the ISS, they're all aliens!

      --
      Free Martian Whores!
  4. Star Trek by bgibby9 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Let's face it, everything revealed within Star Trek (or most Sci-Fi for that fact) will eventually come to pass not because it's "going" to happen, but through hard work and effort from those who want to see that tech become reality.

    Either way I say, go hard ppl!

    --
    http://www.gibby.net.au
    1. Re:Star Trek by wbr1 · · Score: 2
      Or most sci-fi you say?

      Planet of the Apes?
      Soylent Green?
      Omega Man>

      Or, to get away from Charleton Heston:

      Farenheit 452
      1984
      Ender's Game
      Logan's Run
      Flowers for Algernon

      Need I continue?

      --
      Silence is a state of mime.
    2. Re:Star Trek by VortexCortex · · Score: 1

      With enough energy in a single spot you create matter. The highest power Lasers here on Earth already do create matter. Light is simply electromagnetism. Your brain is an electrochemical computer. With a big enough and powerful enough mind, your could use your thoughts alone to become invisible, create and manipulate matter, etc. So, Q seems legit. Now, if we can just get the religious fundamentalists to let us put cybergenetic implants in children we'll get there faster. Otherwise, we'll just use rat brain cells, and it won't really be "humanity", who's the supreme race now will it?

    3. Re:Star Trek by ryanov · · Score: 3, Funny

      Farenheit 452

      Was there a sequel I missed?

    4. Re:Star Trek by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Terminator.

    5. Re:Star Trek by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      1984 is being worked on you know? Haven't you noticed that red LED flashing from your webcam?

    6. Re:Star Trek by Robert+Zenz · · Score: 1

      Either way I say, go hard ppl!

      ... ... ... ... ...I'm at work. :/

    7. Re:Star Trek by bgibby9 · · Score: 1

      Yup, please do

      --
      http://www.gibby.net.au
    8. Re:Star Trek by Jesus_666 · · Score: 1

      Of all the races in Star Trek you chose Q as the role model? Okay, so at least it's not the Ferengi but still there has to be a better goal to shoot for.

      Except if you actually propose a race of John de Lancie clones.

      --
      USE HOT GRITS WITH STATUE OF NATALIE PORTMAN (NAKED AND PETRIFIED)
    9. Re:Star Trek by Anon-Admin · · Score: 1

      Rules of acquisition #45 "Expand, or die"

      He could still be following the rules of acquisition just looking to expand his mind.

    10. Re:Star Trek by FlopEJoe · · Score: 1

      Let's face it, everything revealed within Star Trek (or most Sci-Fi for that fact) will eventually come to pass not because it's "going" to happen, but through hard work and effort from those who want to see that tech become reality.

      It will not come to pass through hard work and effort. It will happen because the government built a road in front of the developer's house.

    11. Re:Star Trek by rossdee · · Score: 1

      Wehaven't even got a theoretical way to do the Impulse Drive, let alone Warp Drive and that is the heart of Star Trek and similar SF tales.

    12. Re:Star Trek by mcgrew · · Score: 1

      Let's face it, everything revealed within Star Trek (or most Sci-Fi for that fact) will eventually come to pass

      Most, or at least much of it already has. When Star Trek came out in 1966 there were no cell phones (communicators), flat screen computers, voice activated computers, self-opening doors, medical readouts, space shuttles... and in some cases we've already bypassed Star Trek's tech. In The Wrath of Khan, McCoy gave Kirk a pair of reading glasses. In 2003 the FDA approved the CrystaLens, an implant that cures not only age-related farsightedness, but nearsightedness, astigmatism, and cataracts as well.

      It will be a while before we get transporters, warp drive, and matter replicators, though.

      --
      Free Martian Whores!
    13. Re:Star Trek by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In the meantime, please learn how to spell the word "people".

    14. Re:Star Trek by blueturffan · · Score: 1

      posting to reverse an incorrect mod.

    15. Re:Star Trek by bgibby9 · · Score: 1

      In the meantime, please learn how to spell the word "people".

      Only if you read the context of the reply correctly to see that "please" is supposed to say "please" not "people" you coward of sub-par intellect

      --
      http://www.gibby.net.au
  5. Invention theater? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why not test it on earth? You know, where it's likely to be used?

    I've always been really annoyed that the state of the art for typical infections can't be easily determined in office by your typical family practitioner.

    Wouldn't it be nice to actually know what virus you have? There could be all sorts of great patient data that could come out of that.

    Of course manufactures of electron microscopes and any other equipment that could tell you the actual virus don't have any incentive to lower their prices or move the state of the art along.

    1. Re:Invention theater? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Agreed that we should test on earth. I find this a bit weird that it has ISS attached to it. I'm sure there must be some reason.

      "annoyed." I love it. I know it's just a word, but come on. Annoyed that we can't isolate in real-time something infinitesimally small from billions of other infinitesimally small things somewhere in your body at your family doctor. Ya, real annoying. Like, why aren't people working on that right? Stop smoking dope and work on something slackers.

      And blame the ELECTRON MICROSCOPE manufacturers. If only they would lower prices, we could just point one of those bad boys at your throat and see the freaking viruses, right? Oops, hold still johnny -- Was that a Chicken pox virus, ebola or one of the millions of other types of viruses or bacteria in your body at any given time? Stop moving around!

    2. Re:Invention theater? by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 1

      Why not test it on earth? You know, where it's likely to be used?

      What... did they only build one or something?

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    3. Re:Invention theater? by AHuxley · · Score: 1

      Re: Why not test it on earth?
      Space makes it sexy, cool, normal and very good.
      So when you read about troops on night patrol in a persons home having a computer asking questions, taking samples, prints it feels just fine.
      Upset the computer and its hood time.

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
    4. Re:Invention theater? by nospam007 · · Score: 2

      "Agreed that we should test on earth. I find this a bit weird that it has ISS attached to it"

      It's because the ISS is one of those sparely populated areas where no doctors are available.

    5. Re:Invention theater? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why not test it on earth? You know, where it's likely to be used?

      First, it's a miniature version of a flow cytometer, which we already have (and use) on Earth.
      Second, the ISS and NASA need small version of stuff for obvious reasons. Nobody was making a miniature version, so NASA had to develop one. Since they plan on using it on the ISS, it's only logical that they'd test it up there before relying on it or making it part of the standard "medical kit".
      Third, they test everything before they send it up, the reason for the test on the ISS is they want to make sure it operates properly in space.

      I'd have thought this was all obvious, but I guess not.

  6. 5 years and apple by onyxruby · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Give it 5 years and Apple will be suing other people for their patent on the "Irecorder".

    1. Re:5 years and apple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Is that for recording irony?

    2. Re:5 years and apple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Came here to make the same comment. Wish I had mod points for you.

      You'll have to settle for a 'fan' instead :-p

    3. Re:5 years and apple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      no, it's to measure the ire caused by a world unable to poop cause Apple managed to get it's hands on that too.

  7. Re:Nobody Seems To Notice and Nobody Seems To Care by flimflammer · · Score: 1, Informative

    Don't care.

  8. Cool device... by Robert+Zenz · · Score: 1

    ...but how does that qualify as Tricorder or Tricorder-like-device?

  9. Scans of the ISS reveal... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    it turns out the entire ISS is made out of widdlywee!

  10. Finally something better than Zoidberg! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's been too long since our beloved astronauts have been improperly diagnosed by a bipedal crustation. OMG my captcha totally says "orgies"

  11. Canadian science? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Will be cut by the current government in 3... 2...