Page 137 - International Space Station Benefits for Humanity, 3rd edition.

Health Technology

Research on the International Space Station (ISS) has allowed for innovations in surgical performance
through the world’s first robotic technology capable of performing surgery inside magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) machines. This technology is making difficult brain tumor surgeries easier and impossible
surgeries possible. Soon, medical technology stemming from space station robotics will enter clinical
trials for use in the early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer by providing increased access,
precision and dexterity resulting in highly accurate and minimally invasive procedures. Development
of an advanced technology solution for pediatric surgery is also in the design stages. In common laser
surgeries to correct eyesight, a new technology developed on the ISS is now used on Earth to track the
patient’s eye and precisely direct a laser scalpel. Thermal regulation research on the ISS has also led to
the use of sensor technology for monitoring during surgery.
When medical facilities are not readily available such as in remote and underdeveloped regions of
the world, ultrasound units are used in conjunction with protocols for performing complex procedures
rapidly with remote expert guidance and training. These telemedicine and remote guidance techniques
empower local healthcare providers, provide patients with access to more timely and diagnostic care,
and make the healthcare system more efficient.
A lightweight, easy-to-use device to measure nitric oxide in air exhaled by astronauts on the ISS is used
to study possible airway inflammation before health problems are encountered. This device is now used
at some health centers to monitor levels of asthma control leading to more accurate medication dosing,
reduced attacks, and improved quality of life.
The study of plasmas (i.e., charged gases that can permeate many materials and spread evenly and
quickly) reveals that they support the disinfecting of chronic wounds, the neutralization of bacteria,
the boosting of tumor inactivation, and even the jumpstarting of plant growth.

Space Station Robotic Arms in 2001, was a crucial tool in assembling the space
Have a Long Reach station and continues to be used to move supplies,
equipment and even astronauts. It also supports
The technology behind a robotic arm used to assemble space station maintenance and upkeep and performs
the football-field-sized ISS also powers robotic tools “cosmic catches”—capturing and docking unpiloted
that help to perform delicate surgeries on Earth.
spacecraft that deliver science payloads and cargo
Canadarm, first launched into space on the Space to the space station.
Shuttle Columbia (STS-2) on November 13, 1981, Dextre, a robotic handyman, arrived at the space
made 90 flights over the course of the next 30 years. station in 2008. Dextre can ride on the end of
Canadarm2, the next-generation version launched
Canadarm2, thereby reducing the need for risky
spacewalks to conduct routine chores and freeing
up astronaut time for science—the main function
of the space station. Dextre also provides a unique
The technology behind a robotic testing ground for new robotics concepts such as
servicing satellites in space. Robotic experts at the
arm used to assemble the football- Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and NASA guide
field-sized ISS also powers robotic these space robots as they go about their tasks.
tools that help to perform delicate Canadian expertise in automation, robotics and
imaging has also inspired development of cutting-edge
surgeries on Earth. spinoff technologies for industry, medicine and other
applications on Earth. In medicine, for example,
related technology transformed the way surgery
is performed, with tools such as neuroArm, which

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