Thermometer Pill Helps Athletes Beat
the Heat
An ingestible thermometer pill was
designed to monitor the body temperature
of astronauts during space flight. The pill
and accompanying data recorder now help
Olympians and professional and collegiate
athletes avoid dangerous heat-related illnesses
during intense workouts.
LEDs Alleviate Pain, Speed
Rehabilitation
Tiny light-emitting diode (LED) chips used to
grow plants on the International Space Station
are now used for wound healing and chronic
pain alleviation on Earth and have been
successfully applied in cases of pediatric brain
tumors and the prevention of oral mucositis in
bone marrow transplant patients.
Noninvasive Test Detects
Cardiovascular Disease
A NASA team adapted Agency-invented
software, originally designed to handle
imagery gathered by space probes, to assess
ultrasound images of arteries for plaque
buildup. The software is now part of a
diagnostic system for accurately predicting
heart health.
Robotics Offer New Surgical
Capabilities
Surgeons are using sensitive, dexterous robotic
arm and hand technology—developed with
NASA funding for use conducting repairs on
the International Space Station—to insert
titanium implants during a minimally invasive
knee surgery procedure that eliminates the
need for traumatic joint replacement.
Circulation-Enhancing Device
Improves CPR
NASA research into blood pressure—a
concern for astronauts adjusting to Earth’s
gravity after space flight—supported the
development of a device that boosts blood
flow to the brain during CPR, increasing the
number of cardiac arrest patients deli ٕɕ