In 2013, a man bilked investors into funding a medical device that worked like the Star Trek tricorder. He even named it after the grumpy doctor who used in on the iconic show -- The "McCoy Home Health Tablet."
The man's "investment opportunity" was a scam, and according to the National Post, he was convicted for bilking people out of their money. However, just a little over a year later, a new tricorder like device, called the Scanadu Scout, has become a reality. And it works.
The device, pictured below, works by placing it on a patient's forehead. In a matter of seconds, a sensor measures vitals such as heart rate, temperature, blood pressure, and oxygen levels. It even provides a complete ECG reading.
The device came about after a successful crowdfunding campaign, and begins shipping to backers at the end of July, 2015.
The Scanadu is the invention of Walter De Brouwer, a Belgian entrepreneur, who came up with the idea after his son suffered brain damage from a fall.
De Brouwer told CNN that he got his inspiration from Star Trek, which he said was "more than just a movie, it was a business plan."
The tricorder in Star Trek was only used by a doctor, but De Brouwer says that the Scanadu can be used by anyone.
"We've medicalised [sic] your smartphone," he said.
"You can now check your health as easily as your email. People will no longer ask if there's a doctor on the plane, but if there's a Tricorder."
Dutch Design legend @wanderswonders @scanadu scouting his vital signs pic.twitter.com/oOwtOloeHa
— Walter De Brouwer (@walterdebrouwer) February 15, 2015
— Walter De Brouwer (@walterdebrouwer) February 15, 2015
Awesome! thank you for sharing:) RT@lucienengelen My first @scanadu scout reading congrats Walter Sam and team!!! pic.twitter.com/7c1yqPaP3x — Scanadu (@scanadu) January 27, 2015
Never thought I'd be checking my BP, HR, SpO2 via my forehead (all verified by conventional measures) @scanadu #PWSYN pic.twitter.com/PdcDdZIIFf
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) January 25, 2015
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) January 25, 2015
Urinalysis at home is coming: Scanaflo by @scanadu http://t.co/A9ifrZSo9C #DigitalHealth #CES2015 pic.twitter.com/k3EchIjqpE #mhealth — Paul Sonnier (@Paul_Sonnier) January 8, 2015
[Photos via Bruno Vincent/Getty Images and Britt+Co]
