Star Trek tech we use today (almost)

For the past four decades, Star Trek has been influencing and predicting new gadgets and technologies. How close are we to Trek-inspired phasers, tricorders, and invisibility cloaks?

Star Trek: Medical Tricorder vs. Today: MRI Scanner



When Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy needed to examine an injured crewmember on some godforsaken alien planet, he used his trusty medical tricorder, a portable device with a detachable handheld scanner that Bones would wave over the patient for a quick diagnosis. (Alas, viewers at home couldn't see whether the tricorder's mini-CRT display actually spelled out "He's dead, Jim" for the good doctor's convenience.) Today’s equivalent is considerably larger than a standard-issue tricorder and not at all portable. The Magnetic Resonance Imagining (MRI) scanner visualizes the internal workings of the body and is very useful in diagnosing brain, cardiovascular, oncological, and musculoskeletal ailments. It won’t fit on a shoulder strap, though, nor will it diagnose alien life forms, as far as we know.

5 of 16
VIEW ALL THUMBNAILS

Most Popular

What's the difference between an Intel Core i3, i5 and i7?
Samsung’s 2013 Smart TVs: everything you need to know
How do I connect my TV to the Internet?
Laser vs. inkjet printers: which is better?
Windows 7 Home Premium vs. Windows 7 Professional

Best Deals on PCWorld

NotebooksView all »
TabletsView all »
Mobile PhonesView all »
Printers & ScannersView all »
Networking, Wireless & VoIPView all »

Plan Comparison

Prev Next
Loading...
Deals powered by WhistleOut

rhs_login_lockSign up to PC World Today for the latest news, reviews and galleries from PC World Australia.