NASA Human Research Program Investigators' Workshop (2012)
4003.pdf
Title: Improving Health on Earth through Biomedical Advances Made for Humans in Space
Presenter: Dorit Donoviel, Ph.D., the National Space Biomedical Research Institute
Prolonged reduced gravity conditions and space radiation exposure pose significant health risks to
humans on long duration space missions. Continuous monitoring of astronaut health and just-in-time
treatment capabilities are required. Technologies and devices that support remotely guided and
autonomous medical care in space must be small, robust, and require minimal infrastructure and
training to operate. The National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) is developing unique
solutions that meet these rigorous operational requirements and are also particularly suited to remote
and telemedicine applications on Earth.
NSBRI has supported the development of diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound applications. Projects
include just-in-time training modules for performing quality scans of various organ systems, a new
approach to kidney stone detection and clearance, and bone health monitoring and fracture detection.
Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) devices developed by NSBRI investigators non-invasively measure
perfusion in tissues such as brain and muscle.
To facilitate the maturation of promising technologies such as these from bench to market, NSBRI has
launched new programs through its Industry Forum. Commercialization assistance has been made
available to researchers through workshops and market analyses reports, as well as a competitive seed
award called Space Medical And Related Technologics Commercialization Assistance Program
(SMARTCAP) that awards $100,000 of support to advance a NSBRI technology along the path to market.
These programs and the research products in NSBRI’s science and technology portfolio have the
potential to increase access and reduce the cost of Earth-based medical care, while providing
commercial off-the-shelf solutions to the challenges of human space flight.