OK, not actually astronomy but..............
New handheld medical scanners coupled with regular cell phones resemble "Star Trek" tricorders and could see what ails you with a push of a button.
The invention, using off-the-shelf cell phone technology, would allow medical scanners could boldly go where none have gone before - to the aid of the roughly three-quarters of the world's population currently without access to ultrasounds, X-rays and other imagers used for everything from detecting tumors to monitoring fetuses.
In addition to offering medical scans in developing nations, the devices "could find their way in ambulances, or rural clinics," said Boris Rubinsky, a professor of bioengineering at the University of California, Berkeley.
More on Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20080430/sc_livescience/realtrekkietricorderinvented;_ylt=Ar5Rz6Ctvduo1PBHKZe1z8z737YB)
Mick... I do have a comm badge from the Hospital ship "Pasteur". Given to me by one of Rose`s kids, when she was Lollipopping for the school. Which makes me even sadder !!! ;)
Did they have Tricorders Doug?
No tricorders, Mike, but a couple of them had phasers, Mk. 3....... or that could have been Tazers ???? What`s new ?? I didn`t get offered a berth, though, I think Jon Luc had something to do with that !!! :roll: