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Nutrient Spectrometer

 Scans blood to determine what nutrients it has or lacks
 
(0) 		  [vote for,
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A handheld device that uses mass spectrometry to analyze the vitman and mineral content of blood to help determine was you have and what you need. It would track your blood analysis over time to give a more accurate view of what you need. Haven't eaten your fruits in a while? What about your vegetables? Getting all the iron or protein you need? You can't lie to this.
—apessos, Jul 16 2003

Half Baked, 1998 http://www.deviceli...hive/98/01/002.html
Suitable sensors for this very thing. [DrCurry, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Half Baked, 2002 http://www.mediclic...ues/article30_1.asp
Clearly a popular goal. [DrCurry, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Baked for single substance analyses http://www.deviceli...hive/97/03/014.html
This one being for glucose, and not even invasive (drawing the glucose out through the skin). [DrCurry, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

A handheld mass spectrometer http://www.eetimes....ry/OEG20000912S0060
They're still working on it, apparently. [DrCurry, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

[link]






       How?
—silverstormer, Jul 16 2003
   

       Thats what I said. How? Doesn't answer the question if you just delete the annos y'know.
—squeak, Jul 16 2003
   

       And why "tri" anyway?
—sild, Jul 16 2003
   

       Why does there have to be a how? I thought this place was for possible or impossible ideas. Spectrum analyzers can return the elements there are contained within a material. In retrospect, it could be called a digital mom.
—apessos, Jul 16 2003
   

       It's not magical. This has nothing to do with magic. This is about technology that combines many of the test hospitals perform on your blood into one device. I don't understand how things that are possible now can be considered magic. How are people diagnosed as iron deficient? Magic?
—apessos, Jul 16 2003
   

       So change your text. Right now it's like a magic tricorder from Star Trek. If you want it to do mass spectrometry or whatever, then say so.
—lintkeeper2, Jul 16 2003
   

       I used tricorder because that's what thought people would be familiar with. It's changed to something a bit more realistic.
—apessos, Jul 16 2003
   

       'Tricorder" is magic Star Trek technology. That's precisely why I marked your idea.   

       Present some description about how your device works and I will remove the mfd.   

       // I thought this place was for possible or impossible ideas. //   

       You are incorrect in that assumption. As I suggested, read the help file, to the left, under meta: All will become clear.
—waugsqueke, Jul 16 2003
   

       There is a new handheld analytical device out called a TRIMprob (Tissue Resonance Interferometer Probe) that uses focused microwave radiation to detect tumors and other structures. It's billed as being tricorder-like because it does very rapid detection and is used externally, waved around like the tricorder was, but it doesn't do blood analysis.   

       Sandia is doing some interesting work in the area of silicon/chip based labs. (See [DrCurry]'s link), so I don't think a handheld blood analysis device is very far-fetched at all. Probably less fanciful than a hand-held peanut-protein detector.
—bristolz, Jul 16 2003
   

       Oh, and by the way. Welcome to the HB [apessos]. Don't be offended by the questions and suggestions. That's the whole point. May you live long and prosper.
—squeak, Jul 16 2003
   

       This idea is actually wrong-headed for reasons that have nothing to do with tricorders. Nutrient imbalances of the type you are decribing are things that play out over many days or even weeks. You don't need to know on a daily basis whether you have any vitamin deficiencies, but on a monthly or yearly one.   

       Now, blood tests in a handheld device would be extremely useful for medical workers of all stripes, including those checking for vitamin deficiencies, but plenty of people are working on them. (See links for some examples.)
—DrCurry, Jul 16 2003
   

       True, the delta in blood chemistry over time is a more meaningful but I have to think that there could be a table of blood chemistry norms established against which such an analyzer works. Something significantly different from the norm returns an indication to do a more thorough analysis using lab methods. That escalation indication, alone, is quite useful.
—bristolz, Jul 16 2003
   

       Thanks for the links, there is some interesting work going on. My thought was for a handheld consumer model, not to diagnose viruses or some disease, but rather to monitor what you eat. The data would be stored in your handheld device and you could view a histogram of your levels over the past couple days, months, years.
—apessos, Jul 16 2003
   

       Maybe as part of your bathroom scale. Sort of a multi-purpose health tracker thingy.
—bristolz, Jul 16 2003
   
      
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