Create a challenge that, if solved, would incentivize the creation of autonomous diagnosis and monitoring systems to be used in remote locations, whether on Earth, the Moon, or beyond.
Focus on defining the problem, not solving it. The solution topic you create will be the focus of student innovation efforts in the next 18 months.
Understanding why this matters helps you see the bigger picture and focus your topic on challenges that align with NASAās mission.
Investing in and developing autonomous health systems is key to pushing further into space than ever before and establishing a lasting human presence on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. These advanced systems will fill a critical need by detecting and diagnosing everything from injuries caused by harsh environments to subtle health issues with delayed or unclear symptoms.
By integrating these autonomous systems into missions, NASA could enable astronauts to independently manage medical challenges and emergencies with confidence. They could make fast, data-driven decisions on their own without waiting for guidance from Earth.
This technology isnāt just about survivalāitās about enabling astronauts to focus on exploration and discovery, knowing their health is monitored by resilient, robust, adaptive tools and systems designed for the unique demands of space.
Starting with missions in low-Earth orbit and on the Moon, these systems serve as a testing ground for future interplanetary travel. Mars missions, where communication delays can reach up to 20 minutes, will require this level of medical independence on an unprecedented scale. Refining these technologies would lay the foundation for entire medical networks that could support off-world communities and build trust in life-saving innovations, even millions of miles from Earth.
These top six core requirements for success highlight the key factors your solution topic should address to help us build the foundation for autonomous health detection and diagnosis, while also offering solutions that can benefit us here on Earth today.
Accurately detect, analyze, and diagnose medical conditions in real-time, minimizing reliance on Earth-based medical teams.
Accurately collect, store, and integrate astronaut health data across all mission phases, maintaining an electronic health record (EHR) accessible to both astronauts and ground teams.
Provide actionable medical recommendations, including triage protocols, emergency interventions, and long-term health management strategies.
Continuously improve through machine learning, adapting to new medical scenarios, evolving health profiles over time and updating existing risk databases.
Track vital signs, injuries, and early indicators of health risks, ensuring consistent and comprehensive monitoring in extreme conditions, like radiation exposure, extreme temperature fluctuations and long periods of storage and use off-world.
Be adaptable for use in different contexts that vary in distance and difficulty, including on Earth, in low-Earth orbit, on extended lunar surface missions, and Mars and deep space missions.
Accurately detect, analyze, and diagnose medical conditions in real-time, minimizing reliance on Earth-based medical teams.
Continuously improve through machine learning, adapting to new medical scenarios, evolving health profiles over time and updating existing risk databases.
Accurately collect, store, and integrate astronaut health data across all mission phases, maintaining an electronic health record (EHR) accessible to both astronauts and ground teams.
Track vital signs, injuries, and early indicators of health risks, ensuring consistent and comprehensive monitoring in extreme conditions, like radiation exposure, extreme temperature fluctuations and long periods of storage and use off-world.
Provide actionable medical recommendations, including triage protocols, emergency interventions, and long-term health management strategies.
Be adaptable for use in different contexts that vary in distance and difficulty, including on Earth, in low-Earth orbit, on extended lunar surface missions, and Mars and deep space missions.
How does your topic create meaningful change? The most compelling solution topics bridge the needs of Earth and the demands of space, offering scalable, impactful answers to humanity's biggest challenges. Before diving into feasibility, consider how your topic can shape the world today while paving the way for tomorrow.
Is your topic realistic? Even the most transformative ideas need to be grounded in feasibility. This is about asking the practical questions. Great solution topics are ambitious but achievable within a defined scope.
Can measurable progress be made within 18 months?
Does it rely on existing tools and technology, or those likely available by 2027?
Is your topic specific, focused, and actionable?
Is it practical within budget, manpower, and material constraints?
Can it be scaled for use across regions or contexts?
Does it address a real-world problem with the potential for meaningful impact?
On Earth, these breakthrough technologies could also help remote communities with limited access to medical resources. They have potential applications in disaster relief, terrestrial exploration, and defense. These innovations not only promise a safer journey for astronauts but also offer transformative solutions for healthcare challenges on Earth. By prioritizing self-reliance in healthcare, this technology wouldnāt just help NASA prepare for the near-term, but lay the operational and technological groundwork to turn humanity into a multiplanetary species.
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