Recently in Europe there has been a research project that aims to let people self-diagnose sexually transmitted diseases like HIV and syphilis by using their mobile phones. When I first read this article on Cnn.com I was completely confused by the whole thing. I thought to myself what?!…..ahhh…why and how?! According to the article the individual would have to pee on a smart chip and insert it into their mobile phone so that it could process their results. This project just received a $6.5 million grant to develop these small chips that can be used to test saliva, urine or blood for sexually transmitted diseases. The project is called The "eSTI2" project, managed by Tariq Sadiq from St George's University of London, England. Sadiq discussed how his vision is to have these chips available at local vending machines and in nightclubs once they hit the market. As I read this article, I could not help but think this was a little too impersonal. Hypothetically speaking if I had to find out I had a sexually transmitted diseases I would rather it come from a person than a machine. One reason is because what if the phone was malfunctioning that day, I could be given the wrong information and results. An actual person is more creditable and reliable when it comes to this manner. Sadiq states, “It's possible that a smartphone app would be able to tell a person if they'd tested positive or negative for a particular STD in 5 to 15 minutes.” Well than I ask this question, which is more important speed or accuracy? Everything is not meant to be microwave!
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/innovation/11/09/diseases.mobile.phone/index.html?iref=NS1
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