While it sounds too good to be true, researchers at the University of Glasgow have developed a small handheld device that can quickly and easily diagnose people with certain diseases by scanning for biomarkers. The device is designed to help doctors diagnose certain illnesses from anywhere in the world.
Inspired from StarTrek’s “tricorder”, the multicorder is made up of a sensor that measures various molecules (known as metabolites) in a patient’s bodily fluid to track a patient’s overall health or see a particular disease’s progression in the body. The device has a silicon chip (CMOS) that is divided into multiple zones to detect and measure four metabolites at once from the body fluid, including blood and urine.
The device can be operated via an Android-based tablet or smartphone.
credits: University of Glasgow
“We have been able to detect and measure multiple metabolites associated with myocardial infarction, or heart attack, and prostate cancer simultaneously using this device,” Dr. Samadhan Patil, the lead author of the study said.
“This device has potential to track the progression of the disease in its early phase and is ideally suited for the subsequent prognosis,” he added.
credits: U of G
Note: It is not yet clear when the device will be available