Though it lacks a starched white coat, the FDA-approved VitalLink 1200 is the next best thing to a pocket-size Marcus Welby, M.D. Rent the 22-pound backpack for $144 a week from TeleMedic Systems (704-529-8400, www.telemedicsystems.com) and carry it with you to remote places. In an emergency, its sensors read your blood pressure, heart rate, and blood-oxygen levels and transmit data to doctors at the nearest participating medical facility, such as the International SOS Centers, which also can tap its global fleet of air ambulances to pluck you from peril (rescues cost up to $35,000, depending on location and ailment). Think we're overreacting? Consider this: International SOS coordinates a rescue—typically of travelers, aid workers, journalists, or oil and mine workers—every 45 minutes.