Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
Scientist beams up a real "Star Trek" tricorder
0 views
Skip to first unread message
Ubiquitous
Apr 16, 2012, 10:41:31 PM4/16/12
to
By Frank Simons
LOS ANGELES, Apr. 13, 2012 (Reuters) — Starships, warp speed,
transporters, phasers. Think "Star Trek" technology is only the stuff of
fiction? Think again.
Dr. Peter Jansen, a PhD graduate of the Cognitive Science Laboratory at
McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, has developed a
scientific measurement device based on the tricorders used by Captain
Kirk, Spock, Dr. McCoy and other space adventurers on the classic TV
series that has spawned numerous spin-offs in more than 45 years.
"Star Trek inspired me to be a scientist" said Jansen, who has been
formally working on his tricorder prototypes since 2007, but toying with
the idea of making a functioning device since he was "a kid in high
school."
The 29-year-old Jansen's school days spanned the late 1990s when "Star
Trek: Voyager" was on the air. It featured his favorite tricorder, a
model with screens on top and bottom.
The first tricorder appeared on the original show's initial episode in
1966, when Capt. Kirk swaggered toward audiences with his phaser weapon
holstered to his side but a tricorder in his hand. The hand-held devices
for data sensing, analysis and recording, have been a part of "Star
Trek" ever since.
But if Jansen, a self-confessed "addicted maker" of things, is
successful at developing, testing and bringing his instrument into the
public, the tricorder may not be just the stuff of "Star Trek" prop
rooms. It may be used for real.
Jansen said his tricorder can take atmospheric measurements, or ambient
temperature, pressure or humidity. It can take electromagnetic
measurements to test magnetic fields, and it can make spatial
measurements of distance, location, or motion.
Fascinating, as Spock might say.
Jansen thinks of his tricorder as a "general tool" -- a kind of "Swiss
Army Knife" -- with practical uses in building inspection, for instance,
where it might help taking temperature and humidity readings or be a
distance sensor to measure rooms.
It resembles the device carried by countless "Away Team" members in
"Star Trek - The Next Generation" - his favorite of the "Star Trek"
shows, he notes.
NO SCIENCE FICTION
No independent group has yet verified his claims for the device which,
he said, is one reason for placing his designs on a public website as an
"open source" that technology makers can utilize to test and tinker.
Jansen has posted schematics and designs of his first and second
prototypes, the Mark 1 and Mark 2, for anyone to see and build. Jansen
expects to have his latest version, the Mark 4, produced for "about
$200."
"Everything you need to build one is on line" at
www.tricorderproject.org, said Jansen. He hopes others will follow his
lead.
While it may sound like the stuff of science fiction, Jansen isn't the
only one to take notice of just how useful a real functioning tricorder
would be - especially as a medical tool.
Telecommunications giant Qualcomm Inc this year launched the "Tricorder
X-Prize Contest" with the slogan "Healthcare in the palm of your hand."
Qualcomm hopes to motivate developers with a $10 million prize to make
medical tricorders a reality.
Wanda Moebus of the Advanced Medical Technology Association, who is not
affiliated with Jansen or Qualcomm, told Reuters the X-Prize "is really
cool," but cautioned that making a real medical tricorder device "would
have to be measured on its safety and effect, like all other medical
technologies."
Jansen said he has been approached by "a couple of teams" about the X
Prize, but added that his prototypes are more for science research than
medical tools.
Besides, he said he already is on to his next frontier, making a sort of
"replicator," another "Star Trek" device that will create 3D objects and
foods that are dimensional copies of real items.
Jansen's "replicator" is a 3D printer, which in itself is not really
new, but the scientist thinks about it in terms reminiscent of "Star
Trek's" famous prologue. It's "like nothing we've ever seen before,"
Jansen said.
--
"If Barack Obama isn't careful, he will become the Jimmy Carter of the
21st century."
LOS ANGELES, Apr. 13, 2012 (Reuters) — Starships, warp speed,
transporters, phasers. Think "Star Trek" technology is only the stuff of
fiction? Think again.
Dr. Peter Jansen, a PhD graduate of the Cognitive Science Laboratory at
McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, has developed a
scientific measurement device based on the tricorders used by Captain
Kirk, Spock, Dr. McCoy and other space adventurers on the classic TV
series that has spawned numerous spin-offs in more than 45 years.
"Star Trek inspired me to be a scientist" said Jansen, who has been
formally working on his tricorder prototypes since 2007, but toying with
the idea of making a functioning device since he was "a kid in high
school."
The 29-year-old Jansen's school days spanned the late 1990s when "Star
Trek: Voyager" was on the air. It featured his favorite tricorder, a
model with screens on top and bottom.
The first tricorder appeared on the original show's initial episode in
1966, when Capt. Kirk swaggered toward audiences with his phaser weapon
holstered to his side but a tricorder in his hand. The hand-held devices
for data sensing, analysis and recording, have been a part of "Star
Trek" ever since.
But if Jansen, a self-confessed "addicted maker" of things, is
successful at developing, testing and bringing his instrument into the
public, the tricorder may not be just the stuff of "Star Trek" prop
rooms. It may be used for real.
Jansen said his tricorder can take atmospheric measurements, or ambient
temperature, pressure or humidity. It can take electromagnetic
measurements to test magnetic fields, and it can make spatial
measurements of distance, location, or motion.
Fascinating, as Spock might say.
Jansen thinks of his tricorder as a "general tool" -- a kind of "Swiss
Army Knife" -- with practical uses in building inspection, for instance,
where it might help taking temperature and humidity readings or be a
distance sensor to measure rooms.
It resembles the device carried by countless "Away Team" members in
"Star Trek - The Next Generation" - his favorite of the "Star Trek"
shows, he notes.
NO SCIENCE FICTION
No independent group has yet verified his claims for the device which,
he said, is one reason for placing his designs on a public website as an
"open source" that technology makers can utilize to test and tinker.
Jansen has posted schematics and designs of his first and second
prototypes, the Mark 1 and Mark 2, for anyone to see and build. Jansen
expects to have his latest version, the Mark 4, produced for "about
$200."
"Everything you need to build one is on line" at
www.tricorderproject.org, said Jansen. He hopes others will follow his
lead.
While it may sound like the stuff of science fiction, Jansen isn't the
only one to take notice of just how useful a real functioning tricorder
would be - especially as a medical tool.
Telecommunications giant Qualcomm Inc this year launched the "Tricorder
X-Prize Contest" with the slogan "Healthcare in the palm of your hand."
Qualcomm hopes to motivate developers with a $10 million prize to make
medical tricorders a reality.
Wanda Moebus of the Advanced Medical Technology Association, who is not
affiliated with Jansen or Qualcomm, told Reuters the X-Prize "is really
cool," but cautioned that making a real medical tricorder device "would
have to be measured on its safety and effect, like all other medical
technologies."
Jansen said he has been approached by "a couple of teams" about the X
Prize, but added that his prototypes are more for science research than
medical tools.
Besides, he said he already is on to his next frontier, making a sort of
"replicator," another "Star Trek" device that will create 3D objects and
foods that are dimensional copies of real items.
Jansen's "replicator" is a 3D printer, which in itself is not really
new, but the scientist thinks about it in terms reminiscent of "Star
Trek's" famous prologue. It's "like nothing we've ever seen before,"
Jansen said.
--
"If Barack Obama isn't careful, he will become the Jimmy Carter of the
21st century."
MITO MINISTER
Apr 19, 2012, 4:12:05 AM4/19/12
to
> Jansen said his tricorder can take atmospheric measurements, or ambient
> temperature, pressure or humidity. It can take electromagnetic
> measurements to test magnetic fields, and it can make spatial
> measurements of distance, location, or motion.
altimeters, etc. He just put them together into a hand-held unit.
Still, I want one!
Duggy
Apr 19, 2012, 8:23:57 PM4/19/12
to
===
= DUG.
===
Message has been deleted
MITO MINISTER
Apr 21, 2012, 6:35:09 AM4/21/12
to
dx...@albury.nospam.net.au
Apr 22, 2012, 8:25:08 AM4/22/12
to
MITO MINISTER wrote:
> Yeah, what he said!
What?? Is it 4th of July already??
Daniel
> Yeah, what he said!
What?? Is it 4th of July already??
Daniel
MITO MINISTER
Apr 23, 2012, 12:59:44 AM4/23/12
to
dx...@albury.nospam.net.au
Apr 23, 2012, 9:26:23 AM4/23/12
to
Daniel
MITO MINISTER
Apr 24, 2012, 4:41:05 AM4/24/12
to
On Apr 23, 10:26 pm, "Danie...@teranews.com"
<d...@albury.nospam.net.au> wrote:
> MITO MINISTER wrote:
> > On Apr 22, 9:25 pm, "Danie...@teranews.com"
> > <d...@albury.nospam.net.au> wrote:
> >> MITO MINISTER wrote:
> >>> Yeah, what he said!
>
> >> What?? Is it 4th of July already??
>
> >> Daniel
>
> > On my planet, yes!
>
> Ah!! So you're not of this world, then!! Could explain lots!!
>
> Daniel
Your Terracentrism speaks volumes!
> MITO MINISTER wrote:
> > On Apr 22, 9:25 pm, "Danie...@teranews.com"
> > <d...@albury.nospam.net.au> wrote:
> >> MITO MINISTER wrote:
> >>> Yeah, what he said!
>
> >> What?? Is it 4th of July already??
>
> >> Daniel
>
> > On my planet, yes!
>
> Ah!! So you're not of this world, then!! Could explain lots!!
>
> Daniel
dx...@albury.nospam.net.au
Apr 24, 2012, 7:54:53 AM4/24/12
to
MITO MINISTER wrote:
> On Apr 23, 10:26 pm, "Danie...@teranews.com"
> <d...@albury.nospam.net.au> wrote:
>> MITO MINISTER wrote:
>>> On Apr 22, 9:25 pm, "Danie...@teranews.com"
>>> <d...@albury.nospam.net.au> wrote:
>>>> MITO MINISTER wrote:
>>>>> Yeah, what he said!
>>
>>>> What?? Is it 4th of July already??
>>
>>>> Daniel
>>
>>> On my planet, yes!
>>
>> Ah!! So you're not of this world, then!! Could explain lots!!
>>
>> Daniel
>
> Your Terracentrism speaks volumes!
Yeap!!
> On Apr 23, 10:26 pm, "Danie...@teranews.com"
> <d...@albury.nospam.net.au> wrote:
>> MITO MINISTER wrote:
>>> On Apr 22, 9:25 pm, "Danie...@teranews.com"
>>> <d...@albury.nospam.net.au> wrote:
>>>> MITO MINISTER wrote:
>>>>> Yeah, what he said!
>>
>>>> What?? Is it 4th of July already??
>>
>>>> Daniel
>>
>>> On my planet, yes!
>>
>> Ah!! So you're not of this world, then!! Could explain lots!!
>>
>> Daniel
>
> Your Terracentrism speaks volumes!
Daniel
Davide Davini
Apr 24, 2012, 9:09:52 AM4/24/12
to
Koralatov wrote:
> Kinda... except that a smartphone doesn't measure most of the things
> this "tricorder" does. I can probably find out about humidity and
> pressure levels, but I'd be pulling that information from someone's
> server, rather than the device actually measuring them itself.
Actually the Galaxy Nexus has a barometer sensor.
--
I'll be reading you,
Capitalisation is the difference between helping
your Uncle Jack off a horse and helping your uncle jack off a horse
> Kinda... except that a smartphone doesn't measure most of the things
> this "tricorder" does. I can probably find out about humidity and
> pressure levels, but I'd be pulling that information from someone's
> server, rather than the device actually measuring them itself.
Actually the Galaxy Nexus has a barometer sensor.
--
I'll be reading you,
Capitalisation is the difference between helping
your Uncle Jack off a horse and helping your uncle jack off a horse
0 new messages