A bounty of $10 million will soon be offered for the successful development of a mobile device, inspired by Star Trek’s fictional tricorder, that can diagnose patients better than or as well as a panel of board-certified physicians. The X Prize Foundation, in collaboration with Qualcomm Inc., will seek to achieve this technology by fostering advancements in expert systems and medical point-of-care data such as wireless sensors, in medical imaging and in microfluidics. The Tricorder X Prize aims to encourage consumer empowerment in health care by extending the reach of health information and services to more people. This prize is expected to bring understandable, easily accessible health information and metrics to consumers on their mobile devices, pointing them to earlier actions for care. Fascinating. The 23rd-century technology behind the Star Trek tricorder could become a reality in the 21st century if a new X Prize challenge is successful. The collaboration between the X Prize Foundation and Qualcomm will bring together experts in technology usability, wireless sensors, cloud computing and mobile health to accelerate the convergence of these fields. The winning tool will enable consumers in any location to quickly and effectively assess health conditions, determine whether they need professional help and answer the question, “What do I do next?” "Qualcomm strives to provide a means to see choices, make decisions and get the right care faster and more conveniently. We believe this is a fundamental step in helping people become true ‘health consumers’ who can have as much say in assessing and accessing health care as they would any other service or product,” said Don Jones, vice president of wireless health strategy and market development at Qualcomm Labs. “Qualcomm believes the value of this X Prize is also in changing the cost structure and focus of health care. By having consumers take the initial actions to obtain health assessment data, the use and the quality of physicians’ time is improved.” "It is great to see two amazing organizations — the X Prize Foundation and Qualcomm — bring the technology of Star Trek to life and make the tricorder a reality for people everywhere," said Eugene Wesley "Rod" Roddenberry Jr., son of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. The X Prize Foundation will be collaborating with industry experts and advisors to complete the Tricorder X Prize design in 2011. It expects to launch the competition in early 2012. For more information, visit: www.xprize.org