PLEX ID, the Universal Biosensor

This device sounds like something out of Star Trek and it takes the guesswork out of identifying all bacteria, viruses, and fungi known to cause infectious diseases in people. Unlike Dr. McCoy’s sensor in Star Trek, the PLEX ID takes 5 hours to determine most results and some particularly tricky pathogens can take even longer. The PLEX ID isn't small either like Dr. McCoy’s handheld, though I have a feeling it will be in the future as most technology has gotten smaller and smaller. The advantage of using the PLEX ID is that instead of possibly taking ineffective drugs due to a diagnosis based on visible evidence and guess work, with an accurate diagnosis your medications can be streamlined for maximum effectiveness in shutting down whatever pathogen is making you sick. The PLEX ID works by determining the DNA of the microbe rather than growing a culture in a dish to identify it by shape or other characteristics. The PLEX ID has been used in research for some time now with its original purpose being to identify potential biological warfare agents. Once again technology with military beginnings can perform a greater good in the civilian sector.