Startup developing machine to mimic "cancer-sniffing dogs"

Here's an interesting Bloomberg News item on Metabolomx, a 12-person venture based in Mountain View, CA that's designing a PC-sized device to detect cancer by smell. "The problem with cancer-detecting dogs is that, well, they're dogs. Hospitals haven't embraced the idea of a diagnostic tool that poops, barks and requires feeding." Enter the cancer-sniffing machines.

Boing Boing editor/partner and tech culture journalist Xeni Jardin hosts and produces Boing Boing's in-flight TV channel on Virgin America airlines (#10 on the dial), and writes about living with breast cancer. Diagnosed in 2011. @xeni on Twitter. email: xeni@boingboing.net.

MORE: breast cancer • cancer • Gadgets • health • Science

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I had read of dogs that could smell breast cancer so this device is of great interest to me. For a moment, I had a strange notion of travel at an airport being a combination of medical exam, with a device based on this one, and a routine security search. I think that sort of scan would go over far better with the public and might help some people too though it would be crazy expensive.

Xeni, I hope you are doing well with your fight too; the best to you.
- http://www.xeni.net/ Xeni Jardin
  
  Thank you.
http://dannypizdetz.com/ Danny Pizdetz

It’s nice someone is trying to make a machine to replace dogs. They’ve been trying to make machines to replace humans for centuries and that’s going so swimmingly.

Maybe people should just sue the medical industry for failing to use proven techniques instead of reverse engineering dogs.
chupsahey

He’s concealed the dog inside the box. Brilliant.
Beanolini

Hospitals haven’t embraced the idea of a diagnostic tool that poops, barks and requires feeding.

Apart from doctors, that is.
http://www.facebook.com/DogDoctorDoug Doug Pratt

Or we could collect our own breath sample at home and …and…and SEND IT TO THE DOGS in the mail! info @ Dogs4cancer.com