Episode 35: Science Fiction Becomes Science Reality

Peter and Dan discuss awarding the $10 million Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE, which involved designing a portable wireless device that can monitor and diagnose health conditions from the palm of your hand. The prize concept originated during a lunch with Qualcomm’s Executive Chairman Paul Jacobs, a fellow Star Trek fan, when they decided the Tricorder medical device should exist. In this episode: Peter describes the power of incentive prizes with examples dating back to 1714, including the invention of canned food. Considering the vast amounts of data in the healthcare field, Dan and Peter explain why AI will have a major role in democratizing healthcare, and how an AI diagnosis will ultimately be better than the best human experts in the world. Peter describes the process of awarding a XPRIZE and the roadmap needed to bring technology to market.