Malaria is not much of an issue in the developed world, but it is still wreaking havoc in parts of Africa. The disease claims a few hundred thousand people a year, and most of the deaths are from this continent. Modern medical science is good at diagnosing the disease. However, it still involves drawing blood, and trained personnel using chemical reagents to get an accurate diagnosis. A new device has been invented that may make diagnosing malaria a much simpler affair, and it will also take a tiny fraction of the current 15 to 20 minutes.

The tricorder from Star Trek is the holy grail of medical diagnostic equipment. A character in the show points it at someone and they have their vital signs and any health anomalies at their fingertips