Qualcomm started a global competition in
2012 that will award ten million US dollars to revolutionize digital
healthcare. The idea is to stimulate innovation and integration of
precision diagnostic technologies, helping consumers make their own
reliable health diagnoses anywhere, anytime.
The device it is seeking will be a tool capable of capturing key
health metrics and diagnosing a set of fifteen diseases. Metrics for
health could include such elements as blood pressure, respiratory
rate, and temperature. Ultimately, this tool will collect large
volumes of data from ongoing measurement of health states through a
combination of wireless sensors, imaging technologies, and portable,
non-invasive laboratory replacements. The only stated limit on form
is that the mass of its components together must be no greater than
five pounds. The name comes from the medical device used in Star
Trek.
This week, August 4 is the qualifying round for review and selection
of the ten finalist teams. The final award will be held in January
2016.