Tricorder

A tricorder was a multifunction hand-held device used for data analysis and recording in Star Trek, used by crews aboard starships and space stations as well as on away missions.

It was used to analyze and keep records of almost any type of data on planet surfaces, plus sensing, or identifying various objects. It can also give the age of an artifact, the composition of alien life, and detect threats. It can be used as a scientific tool, or as a medical tricorder.

The medical tricorder was equipped with sensors and analysis software tailored for medical diagnostic purposes and to assess a patient's condition. Medical tricorders could function aboard a ship in sickbay as well as on away missions.

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machines which weigh several tons and can fill up an entire room, have been miniaturized to be hand-held by Type I. By passing one over your body, you will be able to see inside your organs. Computers will process these 3D images and then give you a diagnosis. This probe will also be able to quickly determine the presence of a wide variety of diseases, including cancer, years before a tumor forms. It will contain DNA chips with millions of tiny sensors that can detect the presence of the telltale DNA of many diseases. For example, the DNA for a mutated protein called p53 can be detected, which is implicated in 50 percent of all common cancers. These DNA sensor chips will be embedded into your home and car, and will alert emergency services in the case of any disease or accident.