We are quickly moving into the Star Trek world.
Imagine for a moment, being able to point your phone at your dinner. By doing so, the phone is able to decipher not only what is on the plate but also the calories, nutritional content, and what the molecular make up.
This is what happens when a spectrometer is adding to a smartphone along with the appropriate application.
Sound far out? It really is.
Experts believe they are not too far away. What was just described is a bit down the road. However, the concept is getting close and Qualcomm is one who is investing heavily into this concept. As one of the world's leading manufacturers of smartphones, it is the ideal company to think about integrating this into its products.
So what can we expect before this?
The first application will be skincare, Hermes says. Smartphones equipped with Trinamix technology will measure the lipids in your face to see if you have dry skin or are well moisturized, and then recommend a skincare product.
Fundamentally, however, the technology will work on any element.
The first application is something that could be extremely useful immediately. Here we see how a device is starting to take over different aspects of our healthcare.
In the 2020s, we are going to see a lot of innovation regarding personalized medicine. As software i.e. AI, gets improves, and hardware devices are able to keep pace, we will see a host of applications that are tied to our Google or Apple Health Systems.
It is easy to see why these companies are spending billions of dollars to get a step ahead of everyone in the personalized health field.
Being able to determine what is on one's plate is a second step in this process. Obviously, food is vital to our health. Having real time information about all that is taking place with our health is the ultimate ideal.
As we are eating, we will know the impact of what is taking place within us.
Hence, the Star Trek Tricoder is no longer something that is a decades-off idea. Instead, this is something that is going to be a reality within the next half decade or so.
What are the financial implications?
Healthcare, in the United States alone, is over a $3 trillion a year industry. That is a lot of money at stake and many companies are seeking to disrupt it.
As with must of the digitized world, data is the key component. Healthcare is no different which is why the largest technology companies in the world want in.
This also will have major implications on the entire smartphone industry. We are going to see a battle waged where the different manufacturers seek to have cutting edge capabilities on their units. Those that lag behind will be out of business rather quickly.
It could also trigger people upgrading more frequently. If there are revolutionary features added, especially as it applies to healthcare, people might have the incentive to spend a couple hundred dollars in developed countries and receive the different capabilities.
In the meantime, it is beneficial to think about what possibilities are emerging. The devices we have are increasing in the power and capabilities.
All of this is setting the stage for Edge Computing.
It is going to be fun. Industries are going to be completely upended during this decade.
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