A Tool for Trekkers and Trekkies
ATLAS is a handheld, AI-powered device loaded with sensors that provides insights in plain language, just like a real-life tricorder.
The modern smartphone may in many ways be an everything device, but these devices do not come close to offering us what science fiction has promised. Take the tricorder from Star Trek, for instance. This fictional handheld device is capable of scanning and analyzing virtually anything in its environment, providing detailed medical diagnostics, detecting life forms, and just about anything else.
A phone may be able to do a lot when it comes to sensing, but that sensing does not come with an integrated human-like assistant that can make sense of everything for you. Sure, we are getting closer as artificial intelligence (AI) advances, but we still do not have anything like a tricorder in our pockets just yet. Electronics hobbyist Apollo Timbers wanted to change that, so he designed and built what is called the Advanced Tactical Laboratory and Analysis System (ATLAS). While ATLAS is loaded with sensors, it does not just spit out raw measurements. It was made to turn those measurements into real, actionable intelligence.
The constellation of sensors in ATLAS was chosen with engineers and explorers in mind. The handheld device is equipped with professional-grade sensors for measuring radiation, CO₂, VOCs, temperature, humidity, light, sound, and magnetic fields. These readings are interpreted by an onboard computing system, and then ATLAS provides an analysis in plain language. It may, for example, tell the user that background radiation levels are safe, or that a storm is on the way in a few hours and they should seek shelter.
Explorers and field engineers cannot exactly count on having an internet connection at all times, so the device is centered around a Google Coral Dev Board Mini. This single-board computer sips energy slowly to extend battery life, and it also comes standard with an AI accelerator module that allows AI algorithms to run offline. A 2.2-inch grayscale OLED display and some push buttons serve as the user interface, and the hardware is all installed in a custom, 3D-printed case.
ATLAS is still actively being upgraded, and new features are being added all the time. Basic medical diagnostic capabilities and a speech synthesizer, for instance, were just recently added to the system. Be sure to keep an eye on Hackster News to see which direction this real-life tricorder goes next.