Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1050827
22 PCB007 MAGAZINE I NOVEMBER 2018 In the March 2012 issue of The PCB Maga- zine, I wrote "How William Shatner Changed the PCB World." Two short years later, I wrote a follow-up in the December 2014 issue called "Star Trek® Inspires Medical Technology for 2015" with a global competition to develop a modern tricorder for the medical industry. My obsession with all things Star Trek con- tinues with an update on the Qualcomm Tri- corder XPRIZE Contest. In April 2017, the top prize winner was named and awarded a $2.5-million prize. Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE Contest Over 50 years after Dr. Leonard H. "Bones" McCoy of the Starship Enterprise first used a fic- tional tricorder to scan patients for ailments and anomalies, real-world medical science is turning that science fiction into reality. More than 300 teams from around the world competed in the Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE Contest—a Star Trek-inspired challenge—that first launched in January 2012. The goal was to incentivize the development of innovative technologies capable of accurately monitoring a set of medical condi - tions independent of a healthcare professional or facility. Rules There were three rules for the Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE Contest: 1. Diagnose a set of 13 prescribed medical conditions 2. Continuously measure five prescribed vital signs 3. Have a positive consumer experience "The theme of Star Trek is really about what the future is going to be like and the kind of technology we're going to see," said Erik Viirre, technical and medical director of the competi- Star Trek Inspires Medical Technology: An Update The Right Approach Feature Column by Steve Williams, THE RIGHT APPROACH CONSULTING Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE video.