Your next smartphone could gain molecular analysis thanks to this tech

Smartphones are perhaps the closest thing we get to Star Trek tricorders, allowing users to gather information about their world through cameras, sensors, and more. But Qualcomm and German company Trinamix are stepping up things a lot and are announcing plans to turn your phone into a molecular analyzer.

Trinamix announced that it is building a small infrared sensor module for Qualcomm smartphones that will be used for “near infrared spectroscopy” on the go. The company adds that it will use Qualcomm’s AI Engine smarts to process the molecular data it collects.

Molecular analysis sounds pretty modern, but it’s kind of pointless to consumers without use cases. Fortunately, the company has an initial use case in mind for the technology.

What is molecular analysis actually used for?

“Future smartphones with this technology will enable consumers to scan their skin at the molecular level and receive suggestions for optimal skin care products for that day almost instantly,” reads an excerpt from an official press release that bases these recommendations on the lipid of your skin and Moisture measurements.

Other use cases discussed include measuring the sugar content in food and determining whether a material is real or fake (e.g. silk). Fortunately, said Steven Meyers, Communications Manager at Trinamix Android Authority that future use cases will be executed on the existing hardware and made available via firmware updates instead of requiring new hardware.

Meyers also gave some examples of how the company is using the technology in the corporate space. These examples include measuring the caffeine / moisture content in coffee beans, measuring the protein / fat / carbohydrate content in various types of food, and determining the composition of various plastics.

“From a technical point of view, most of the B2B applications we have developed or developed can also be integrated into a future smartphone with our technology,” explained the communications manager.

What you should know about the hardware

Meyers also noted that the final design of the module isn’t done yet, but they don’t expect it to take up a ton of space on a smartphone.

“Once we’ve completed the reference design, we can provide more information on the exact size. We expect it to be no bigger than a current CMOS camera, ”remarked the managing director.

When exactly will we see this technology in a commercial smartphone? Another representative said Android Authority “The absolute earliest would be the fourth quarter of 2021,” and it is up to the OEMs to adopt the technology. Meyers added that they expect to complete a reference design next year, followed by a “smartphone integration project”.

The news coincides with the release of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888. We therefore expect that Trinamix’s molecular analysis technology will support the new chipset. However, we wonder if the technology might be suitable for phones with less impressive specs.

“After completing our reference design, we have a specific understanding of the minimum requirements,” replied Meyers.

Not the first tricorder phone

It’s certainly an interesting technology, but this wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen molecular analysis on a smartphone. The little-known Changhong H2 was introduced in 2017 with a built-in spectroscopic sensor.

With this phone, you could theoretically scan fruits to check sugar levels, scan your body for fat levels, make sure the medications you are given are the real deal, and so much more. It’s not immediately clear whether this phone ever hit the market, although Chinese prices were reportedly pegged at 2,999 yuan (~ $ 450) at the time.

Load survey

We also saw the Raman Xi smartphone at MWC 2019, although it has a massively bulky design (see picture above) and is not aimed at consumers. Instead, the Xi device is aimed at the pharmaceutical, food safety, and law enforcement sectors.

In other words, Trinamix and OEM partners still have the door open to deliver a consumer-centric, mass-market smartphone with molecular analysis. We are amazed at use cases and pricing, however, as it may not be worth spending a huge premium on some niche use cases for many people. Nevertheless, there is also the potential for third-party developers to use this technology and create their own apps.

Would you buy a phone that did molecular analysis? Let us know in the poll above!

Next: Qualcomm explains how the Snapdragon 888 changes the camera game