Anatomy of a handheld hospital 1 Processor that can power a pacemaker Smartphones run superfast (in excess of 1 GHz) without consuming much power, much like top-notch pacemakers and cardiac defibrillators. 2 Display that can assess an ultrasound The iPhone 4S’s resolution (300 pixels per inch) is on par with most hospital-grade ultrasound monitors, and small screen size won’t matter once projection tech takes off. 3 Camera that can capture cells The HD video camera, which shoots 30 frames per second, is more advanced than some of the ones in colonoscopes, which doctors use to seek out potentially cancerous tissue. 4 Accelerometer that can guide physical therapy The three-axis accelerometer captures the same subtle movements—tilts, shocks, rotations—as APDM motion sensors, which are used to monitor patients’ Parkinson’s disease and help them through physical therapy. 5 Microphone that can hear your heart Because of its flat-frequency response rate—which drastically reduces noise distortion—a smartphone mic (with help from an amplifying attachment) can detect a heartbeat almost as well as a $500 electronic stethoscope.

Anatomy of a handheld hospital

1 Processor that can power a pacemaker
Smartphones run superfast (in excess of 1 GHz) without consuming much power, much like top-notch pacemakers and cardiac defibrillators.

2 Display that can assess an ultrasound
The iPhone 4S’s resolution (300 pixels per inch) is on par with most hospital-grade ultrasound monitors, and small screen size won’t matter once projection tech takes off.

3 Camera that can capture cells
The HD video camera, which shoots 30 frames per second, is more advanced than some of the ones in colonoscopes, which doctors use to seek out potentially cancerous tissue.

4 Accelerometer that can guide physical therapy
The three-axis accelerometer captures the same subtle movements—tilts, shocks, rotations—as APDM motion sensors, which are used to monitor patients’ Parkinson’s disease and help them through physical therapy.

5 Microphone that can hear your heart
Because of its flat-frequency response rate—which drastically reduces noise distortion—a smartphone mic (with help from an amplifying attachment) can detect a heartbeat almost as well as a $500 electronic stethoscope.