According to cell biologist Mark Roth, suspended animation is not just for genetically altered super humans. It could very well be used to treat life threatening diseases. Roth studies the art of shutting down life processes and then starting them up again. It's wild stuff, but it's not science fiction. Induced by careful use of an otherwise toxic gas, suspended animation can potentially help trauma and heart attack victims survive long enough to be treated.

The BBC is reporting on a brand new hand-held ultrasound machine that is now being used by the cardiac investigation unit at St. George's Hospital in South London. Called the Vscan, the small device, similar to a flip phone, can show moving color images of blood flow around the heart and by switching to black and white you can see heart valves opening and closing.  Much like the hand-held tricorders in Trekdom, the device gives doctors a portable view into the inner workings of the their patients bodies.

Sometimes, I think we live in the 24th century.  From PADD technology to molecule replication we are that much closer to living in a reality known only to the likes of James T. Kirk and Jean-Luc Picard.  In a few years, Google could be bringing us one step closer with true voice universal translation.  Right now, engineers are working on the first voice over phone real-time translation.

A new alcohol substitute is being developed by a team at Imperial College London that that avoids drunkenness and hangovers.  Similar to the Synthehol from the TNG era series, the fake booze is being developed from chemicals related to Valium and works like alcohol on nerves in the brain that provide a feeling of well being and relaxation.  Check out the article excerpt below for more details.

The new substance could have the added bonus of being "switched off" instantaneously with a pill, to allow drinkers to drive home or return to work.

Deep Space Nine, our favorite Trek series of the momemnt, takes place on a distant Space Station located close to the opening of a wormhole that connects to quadrants of the galaxy.  Apparently, scientists are theorizing the possibility of this type of wormhole travel in the next century. 

Scientists at Yale University are in the process of creating a portable biomarker detector that will be able to identify signs of illness from a sample of blood within 20 minutes. The new device it expected to by about the size of a paperback book and is said to be reminiscent of our favorite SciFi device, the tricorder.

The sensor, which uses nanotechnology, is so accurate that it could pick up a grain of salt in a swimming pool, claim the researchers.

“Doctors could have these small, portable devices in their offices and get nearly instant readings,” said Dr Tarek Fahmy a biomedical engineer at Yale University.

Wouldn't it be great to simply ask your computer for a nice piece of pumpkin pie or a bar of gold?  Someday in the near future that might be possible, But, today NASA is working on the first iteration of replicator tech called EBEF3 (electron beam free form fabrication).

A small handheld device that allows a doctor or perspective parent to check the developmental progress of an unborn child debuted at Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco on Tuesday.

As reported Pocketlint.com, the GE developed gadget is aimed at doctors, and possibly would be parents who could use it in their office or in the field to check the progress of unborn babies or other medical instances rather than send their patients to a specialist department for a scan.

Oh how I've often wished I could simply tap my comm badge and immediately connect to a faraway transporter chief who could instantly beam me out fo any situation.  It seems that part of that dream my soon be a reality.