Tricorder prototype
A diagnostic "tricorder" from "Star Trek" has been developed
Roman Okashin, Hi-tech+
Scientists at the University of Glasgow (UK) have announced a wearable gadget that can instantly diagnose a number of health problems. The device is able to detect cancer, predict stroke or heart attack.
The developers were inspired by the "tricorder" from the fantastic franchise "Star Trek". In the film, this device made it possible to scan the body and determine all diseases in real time.
So far, Scottish researchers have assembled a prototype of the system. It consists of a wearable sensor connected to a tablet, the application on which processes incoming signals.
The device measures the levels of various metabolites in human fluids, forecasts are made from this information and diagnoses are made.
Figure from an article
in the journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics – VM.
Metabolites are small molecules found in human body fluids. By controlling the relative amount of certain metabolites, physicians are able to draw conclusions about the general state of human health and the development of individual diseases. It seems everything is simple: I measured the necessary indicators – I received a diagnosis. But in practice, everything depends on the speed, high cost and size of the equipment.
As a rule, such analyses are carried out in the laboratory. For example, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy can be used to find the right biomarkers. Here the process ceases to seem simple and fast.
The main advantage of the tricorder both in Star Trek and in the real world is speed.
Theoretically, it becomes possible to make measurements of many important parameters on the spot, then immediately see their interpretation on the smartphone screen.
Maybe it's still too redundant for daily wear, but equipping therapists and ambulance workers with such systems would be effective. Without referral for tests, doctors will have access to vital signs. In the case of cardiovascular diseases, this speed will help save lives, British experts believe.
The system is built around CMOS chip technology. These chips are inexpensive and are often used in cameras and camcorders.
In the case of a tricorder, they do not exceed the size of a finger pad and are configured in such a way as to identify four different metabolites. This is enough to identify a number of serious problems, writes Engineer.
"Using the prototype, we were able to detect and measure several metabolites associated with myocardial infarction and prostate cancer simultaneously. This device has the potential to track the development of the disease at its early stage. It is ideal for making predictions," says the study's lead author Samadhan Patil.
Simplification of analyses, the transformation of complex procedures into rapid tests is a trend of modern laboratory research. For example, Australian specialists have learned to determine the presence or absence of fibrosis without a biopsy. In the UK, a simple blood test was able to establish the risk of cancer recurrence. According to the same blood test, it is now possible to diagnose a difficult-to-detect chronic fatigue syndrome.
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