I did not expect such a limp report. Previous charts had shown a...

I did not expect such a limp report.
Previous charts had shown a steady replacement of Siemens strips with UBI strips, giving a steady cash flow and greater margin. Plus the take-up of the initial Sentia analysers was strong, with some very convincing feedback from wine-makers enjoying the “lab in your hand” speed and economy. Either of these should have earned the $51K.

With the strips, I fear a “Kodak” effect. Just at the moment the optical camera and chemical film reached a brilliant degree of refinement the digital revolution overwhelmed them. I loved my Nikon F’s and the lenses but, when I bought my D70 in 2004, it felt the same, took the old lenses, yet did away with film rolls and the delay in seeing the final image. Now we have 20mpixels cameras on phones, with video, zoom, and quick edit.

In the same way the highly developed strip and hand held analyser may be quickly superseded by the non-invasive electro-chemical sensor, coupled with a self-charging flexible patch, or on watch back, reporting constantly to an edge neuromorphic pattern-recognition chip, which, in turn, can report its analysis to a computer via Bluetooth. UBI may already be working toward this, with their pico-molar initiatives. It would be good to hear this from them.

Non-invasive in the era of superbugs is a no-brainer. The problem is that there is a vast peloton of brilliant researchers chasing us. If we think we are out in front we had better pedal hard.