$10 million offer made for inventing Star Trek 'tricorder'

BBC

Peter Diamandis, chairman and CEO of the X Prize foundation, speaks about the "tricorder" prize during a keynote address by Paul E. Jacobs, chairman and CEO of Qualcomm, at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada January 10, 2012. REUTERS Photo

A private research center recently challenged inventors to come up with a practical version of Star Trek's wondrous medical “tricorder” for a $10 million award,  BBC reported.

The tricorder is used to diagnose diseases through a simple scan. The company requires the inventors to come up with a real, portable version that could scan and diagnose a set of 15 diseases.

The quest for the multi-million dollar prize was launched in a tech show in Las Vegas.

Though a full practice of the tricorder seems impossible for many people, the challenge is expected to fuel inventors to take on the ways of healthcare.

"It's not a single point solution. What we're looking for is to launch a new industry," the foundation's Chairman Peter Diamandis is quoted saying to BBC.  "The tricorder that was used by Spock and Bones inspires a vision of what healthcare will be like in the future. It will be wireless, mobile and minimally or non-invasive."

A similar prize fight for a reusable spacecraft had been launched previously in 2004 and resulted in technological advancements that were later used by private companies.