Science fiction is one step closer to becoming reality.
A researcher at the NASA Ames Research Center has created a proof of concept gadget that can convert an ordinary, everyday iPhone into a chemical sensor capable of detecting ammonia, chlorine gas, and methane.
The device is about the size of a postage stamp and plugs right into the iPhone. If it detects anything harmful, the chip actually uses the phone to alert others to the potential danger.
The gizmo was created as part of Homeland Security’s Cell-All program. The eventual hope would be to turn millions of cell phones into a giant “net” that could quickly detect hazardous chemicals in public environments.
Really, though, it’s true importance is that it’s basically a Star Trek tricorder.
A tricorder, for those who are unfamiliar, is a field device from Star Trek that can detect just about anything, life signs, minerals, oxygen levels of the surrounding air, etc, giving you a picture of what’s around you.
This new NASA probe is fairly similar. It’s just the first of what is sure to be many efforts toward developing a portable device that can measure the world around you in a scientific way.
Currently, Homeland Security plans to utilize this new device as an anti-terrorist detection program, but in the not-too-distant-future we could see advanced versions helping us measure air quality or determine UV exposure.
This new tricorder could truly make science accessible to everyday citizens.
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