I'm reminded of this, and countless other sci-fi plots, as I strip off and step semi-naked into the gleaming capsule of the Neko Body Scan. Like Autodoc, it promises to conduct a comprehensive examination of my health inside and out - in minutes and, while unable to estimate the timing of my demise (yet), it can identify if I'm at imminent or future risk of developing some of the biggest killers and causes of chronic ill health.
Healthy as I may feel on the outside, the prospect of learning whether some hidden nastiness lurks on my health horizon feels too tempting to refuse. The doors of the scanning pod slide shut, and a soothing female voice instructs me to close my eyes and keep still.
Neko is the brainchild of the Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek, who hopes to achieve the same for health that he did for music: redesigning the industry from scratch, starting with the technologies that exist today, rather than the hotchpotch of approaches it has relied on for decades.
Neko's co-founder and chief executive, Hjalmar Nilsonne, said: "Since 70% of healthcare costs are tied to chronic diseases, which are largely preventable or can be greatly delayed by early interventions, it seems pretty obvious that the healthcare system everybody actually wants is a preventive one that creates health, rather than being a medicine dispenser for the people who are already sick.
"The idea we had was very simple.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der September 21, 2024-Ausgabe von The Guardian.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der September 21, 2024-Ausgabe von The Guardian.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Consumer champions
BT has left my father, 80, with no phone for months.
Money hacks How to save a bundle on children's clothes
Charity shops can be a goldmine for bargains - use the Charity Retail Association's online search page to find ones that stock children's clothes, or in London, head to one of FARA's 14 stores that specialise in kids' clothes.
University students Why are tuition fees going up and who does it affect?
The government has announced fees in England will rise to £9,535 in 2025. Shane Hickey gives you the lowdown on the changes
British Airways owner IAG's profits up 15%
Strong demand for transatlantic travel has bolstered the profits of International Airlines Group, the owner of British Airways, with the UK national carrier outperforming rivals despite widespread European flight delays.
Taking the plunge Seven date ideas that won't break the bank
You certainly don't need to spend a fortune to have a fun and romantic time, whether it's your first date or the 101st.
The price of love How much does dating cost - and who pays the bill?
Hinge+ costs £14.99 for a week, £24.99 for one month, £49.99 for three months and £74.99 for six months. One week of HingeX costs £24.99, a month is £44.99, three months £89.99 and six months comes in at £129.99.
China offers £646bn to local government but balks at big stimulus
China has announced 10tn yuan in debt support for local governments and other economic measures, but stopped short of a \"bazooka\" stimulus package many analysts expected.
Secret diary of TV freelancer Brutal hours, fear, panic - and finally a kick in the teeth
An anonymous producer writes about their experiences of the brutal hours, low budgets and high stress of television production
Shares plunge for housebuilder Vistry after new profit warning
Shares in the FTSE 100 housebuilder Vistry have plunged after it issued a second profit warning in as many months and said cost overruns on building projects were worse than previously thought.
Families may get post office compensation, says minister
The postal minister has said that family members and employees of post office branch owners who have not been eligible to make claims over the Horizon IT scandal may be allowed to apply for compensation.