Fans of the classic science fiction series “Star Trek” are familiar with the medical tricorder, a handheld device used by the doctor in the beloved television series and related movies to gather, record, and analyze health data. The tricorder, like many of the futuristic devices that appeared in “Star Trek,” gave fans a vision of how technological advancements could improve their quality of life in the future.
Marcus Soori, Founder and CEO of O/D Vision, Inc., is making that future a reality today. His invention, Tricorder.Zero™, is a handheld device that is revolutionizing healthcare with its unparalleled capacity for collecting, tracking, storing, and safeguarding health data.
“Statistics show that 40% of people in the US, even with health insurance, don’t have access to affordable, quality healthcare or the ability to pay for the care they need,” says Soori. “Part of the impetus behind inventing Tricorder.Zero™ was my desire to help those people by giving them the ability to comprehensively track their health and fitness without the inconvenience or costs associated with doctor appointments. It’s technology from the future that patients can tap into today.”
Tricorder.Zero™ packs seven powerful sensors into one handheld device: a high-magnification camera, an otoscope, an infrared thermometer, a pulse oximeter, a stethoscope, an EKG sensor, and a body fat/muscle tone sensor. Each sensor is fully integrated with the device and ready to function with a simple tap of the screen.
“Tricorder.Zero™ is a powerful tool for gathering accurate, clinical-grade health and fitness data, but it is so much more than that,” Soori explains. “It gives people the power to take total control of their health, gaining capabilities for advanced health tracking, fitness insights, telehealth coordination, and more.”
An innovation more than a decade in the making
Soori began developing the concept for Tricorder.Zero™ when he was in medical school in 2013. However, technology hadn’t caught up with his vision at that point.
“I knew the device needed to be handheld and affordable to be truly impactful,” Soori says. “A decade ago, the technology needed to achieve that didn’t exist.”
While Soori waited, he continued to refine his idea. Eventually, critical components become smaller and less expensive, empowering him to pursue his dream full-time. In 2022, Soori secured patent-pending status on 12+ novel concepts related to the device, and in 2023, he completed his first working prototype.
“The sensors on Tricorder.Zero™ can take over a dozen valuable measurements,” Soori explains. “They allow patients to observe their eye, skin, ear, nose, and mouth, as well as measure their heart rate and blood oxygenation. The sensors can even capture heart rhythms to monitor for tachycardia, bradycardia, and atrial fibrillation, in addition to multiple other features.”
A powerful tool for driving telehealth engagement
The telehealth movement, kicked off by the COVID-19 pandemic, has given patients a new paradigm for connecting with healthcare resources. Telehealth opens the door to a more efficient and affordable way to receive care, but it has some key weaknesses that keep it from providing optimal results. Tricorder.Zero™ addresses that weakness by providing a tool for reliably capturing accurate healthcare data.
“With Tricorder.Zero™, patients can upload the health records they are compiling to their own HIPAA-compliant secure cloud account and share them with a provider as needed,” Soori says. “New records created by doctors can be uploaded to the same account using a simple QR code.”
Soori explains that all health data captured by the device is stored in the account, not on the device, which keeps it secure even if it is lost or stolen.
“People are frustrated with the hassles associated with doctor appointments,” Soori says. “Tricorder.Zero™ provides them with an alternative that saves time and money, making it easier to obtain the care they need.”
A device that adds value to fitness programs
Tricorder.Zero™ also provides valuable insights to data-driven fitness enthusiasts by measuring heart rate, breathing rate, body fat, muscle tone, and blood oxygenation. Collecting those readings before and after workouts allows users to accurately track their progress and adjust routines for optimal impact.
“The average American has almost no useful data derived from their fitness routines despite spending an average of $1,860 per year on fitness-related activities and products,” Soori says. “Users get detailed data from Tricorder.Zero™ that they can use to fuel their fitness journey. And they get it without needing a wearable or other intrusive or restrictive device.”
Those looking for a better healthcare experience can reserve a Tricorder.Zero™ during its pre-order phase for $299. Production is expected to begin once 5,000 pre-orders are placed, triggering a cost increase of $200 per device.
“Tricorder.Zero™ has the potential to benefit every stakeholder in the healthcare space, from patients to doctors to health systems and insurers,” Soori says. “It’s poised to play a pivotal role in ushering in a new season of healthcare marked by more efficiency and less frustration.”
