Medical Technology Needed for Mars/Commercial Applications

Clinician_Antilles · 2021-11-07 17:53:35

Hi everyone,

I want to recognize and acknowledge the original Technology Needed For Mars thread as the inspiration to my launching this. I hope I am not stepping any toes by doing so, and my reasoning is as follows:

In a conversation with tahanson43206, we discussed the need of new medical devices for Mars that could also potentially used on Earth for commercial applications. This could be anything really, but I think our idea was in essence try to recombine pre-existing technologies in interesting new ways that could potentially be profitable. The forum is essentially a place of discussion and dialogue, and so I want to create a space for people to float their ideas and seek feedback on what could and could not work by drawing on the expertise of others here.

For ex, I have zero training in any discipline of engineering, so I hope when I have a proposal for something that is physically impossible I am gently informed of my errors and why it would not work. Likewise, if anyone has any questions on the medical side of things, I would be happy to offer my thoughts and perspectives as well

I know that currently this is only a place to converse, but my hope is that the conversations that take place here lead to the birth of an idea that can bring a benefit to humanity. I'd hope that the same people in this forum will be able to cooperate and benefit from this personally.

I would like to invite tahanson43206 to kick off the discussion! I will try to return to this thread periodically as I grow more acclimated with the forum.

SpaceNut · 2021-11-07 18:06:47

Congratulation on your first topic.

We have a myriad of topics from journey radiation and cosmic radiation in a ship that does not have enough or no protection.

To the same but different levels of exposure over a mars mission cycle.

Then you have the total package of ailments and disease which may be exasperated by going to mars to contend with.

Of course lets not forget the klutz in all of us for the accidents that we all seem to have at some point in our lives.

kbd512 · 2021-11-07 18:24:05

Clinician_Antilles,

Off the top of my head, as a doctor working on Mars you'll have constant issues with the following:

1. Decompression sickness associated with EVAs, amongst those who must go outside to construct the base

2. Altitude sickness if lower atmospheric pressures are used to reduce pure Oxygen pre-breathe times prior to EVAs

3. Methods to immobilize broken bones inside space suits (accidents will happen, so it's best not to pretend that some level of care on the part of the worker will prevent them)

4. Methods of removing space suits from people who have sustained broken bones, especially if we stick with gas bag space suits (Apollo and Space Shuttle style space suits are good for microgravity, but almost impractical for normal range of motion required by a construction worker and more importantly, keeping people alive after an accident that causes serious injury)

5. Vitamin deficiencies caused by the requirement to live and work with 2 meters or more of regolith protection from CME / SPE / GCR, combined with limited selection of nutritious foods (a lot of doctors seem to hand-waive dietary problems, as if it has limited effect on the health of their patients, which is simply not true- because if it was true, then we wouldn't have so many people dying from obesity-related medical issues)

6. Potential issues with atrophy of muscles and bone de-mineralization from the lower gravity of Mars if rigorous exercise routines are not followed

7. Issues with digestive tract anomalies exacerbated by lower gravity

8. Psychological issues from death or trauma or physical isolation or claustrophobic people

9. Limited availability of medicines and medical supplies (although this really should be taken care of during mission planning)

10. Various "failures of imagination" during mission planning (unrealistic training or unrealistic expectations leading to avoidable personnel casualties) causing or making worse, all of the above problems.

Good luck. You'll need it.

RobertDyck · 2021-11-07 18:30:36

Medical tricorder, to take a term from Star Trek. Airport security scanners already have millimetre wave image sensors. That technology is powerful because it can see a centimetre or two beneath skin. The longer the wavelength, the deeper it can penetrate, but the courser the image. The shorter the wavelength, the more shallow, but higher resolution image. I'm hoping for an image sensor the size of a smartphone camera that can image various different wavelengths in the millimetre band. This would allow first responders to image broken bones without the need for X-ray. A millimetre wave light source of matching wavelength would be useful.

Both millimetre wave and terrahertz are electromagnetic radiation between microwave and infrared. Wavelength is shorter than microwave, but longer than infrared. Terrahertz has shorter wavelength than millimetre wave. Terrahertz will not penetrate skin, but spectra in that band can identify many organic compounds at remarkably trace concentrations. This allows an image sensor to perform an organic chemical analysis of the sweat of the subject's skin. That can provide a lot of diagnostic information.

Medical database with expert system to match symptoms to possible causes. This does not replace a medical practitioner (doctor, nurse practitioner, first responder, paramedic, etc), it's just a tool that they can use for rapid diagnosis. Some sort of code to access the subject's medical records would be very helpful: bar code, QR code, or near field. That last one is the system used for "tap" for payment systems. Note, the medical database with expert system would simply be an app that could be loaded onto a standard smartphone. The Mars base medical records could be accessed via Wifi as a "cloud" database.

Image sensors above could be snapped onto a standard smartphone. Essential is a brand of smartphone, PH-1 is the only model they made. That phone has Bluetooth for communication with accessories, but it also has a two metal spots on the back where accessories can attach. The metal spots provide power from the phone to the accessory. Motorola Moto has a connector for "Moto Mods", which also provides power. Both Essential and Motorola phones use Android. Image sensor could be a separate unit, but using the smartphone display would then require 2 hands: one for the sensor, the other for the phone. It would be more convenient if the sensor was attached to the phone so the medical practitioner could hold it in one hand, freeing the other hand to care for the patient. Or you could have it clip to the phone magnetically, like the camera attachment for the Essential phone. Then the medical practitioner use it attached or separate.

Directly feeding chemical data from the terrahertz imager into the medical database would allow the expert system to make diagnoses very easily. And could update the patient's medical records.

::Edit:: You can already buy ultrasound wands that connect via USB cable. I think there are ultrasound wands that work via Bluetooth. And one medical doctor developed an attachment for an iPhone that has metal contacts on the back of an iPhone case that act has ECG contacts. The app displays an electrocardiogram. Perhaps a sensor that has one contact with a very small battery, about the size of a earpods, with a wire to the other contact. With a case that allows the ECG contacts to be charged the same way as earpods. Again, Bluetooth communication to a smartphone.

Last edited by RobertDyck (2021-11-07 19:00:51)

RobertDyck · 2021-11-07 18:51:51

Hypospray. This is a term that was actually a brand name in real life in 1959. The generic term is a jet injector.
Wikipedia: Jet injector

A jet injector is a type of medical injecting syringe device used for a method of drug delivery known as jet injection, in which a narrow, high-pressure stream of liquid that penetrates the outermost layer of the skin (stratum corneum) to deliver medication to targeted underlying tissues of the epidermis or dermis ("cutaneous" injection, also known as classical "intradermal" injection), fat ("subcutaneous" injection), or muscle ("intramuscular" injection).

This doesn't use a needle, so impact to the patient is less. The issue was back contamination. This would require careful engineering to ensure no back contamination of the injector from the patient's blood. The use in 1959 was vaccination against typhus. If a patient had typhus, back contamination could spread typhus to the next patient. If that issue can be resolved, this could be very useful. There is a jet injector for insulin right now, called InsuJet. Doesn't hurt as much as a needle, and this one side-steps the back contamination issue because it's intended for just one user. Contaminating himself is not an issue.

It would be nice if an injector could be set to draw a certain volume of product (vaccine, insulin, etc) then pressurize that liquid and inject without any other carrier fluid. And seal the nozzle flush with the surface that touches the patient's arm. Do not draw anything inside from the injection nozzle, and no cavity once sealed. So the end could be just swabbed with alcohol using a cotton ball, same as you would swab the patient's arm. Piezoelectricity nozzle valve? If the injector is run through electricity instead of pneumatic, it could be very compact. In Star Trek TOS, Dr McCoy's hypospray was operated manually.

tahanson43206 · 2021-11-07 21:13:25

For kbd512 re Post #3

It is hard to keep track of everything, so you might have missed RobertDyck's design for the habitat and EVA suits.

There will be NO decompression sickness if RobertDyck's design prevails, because it deliberately and specifically avoids the issue.

You can find detailed explanations in many of the posts of RobertDyck, especially in the Large Ship topic, but I'll offer a summery and hopefully RobertDyck will follow up with links to some of his many posts.

The habitat pressure Memory Aid is 5-4-3

The habitat pressure is 1/2 Earth Normal

The Oxygen pressure is 3 PSI

The inert gas pressure is 5 PSI

The EVA suit pressure is 3 PSI

When transitioning from inside the habitat to an EVA suit and back, the operator maintains a constant Oxygen pressure of 3 PSI.

This is an over simplification because I am reporting using a memory aid. The actual pressures differ slightly.

I've forgotten what the 4 meant.

(th)

kbd512 · 2021-11-07 23:55:20

tahanson43206,

Maybe so, but theory and practice rarely align quite as well as we'd like them to. All of the time and money we've spent on space medical research has taught us that humans still function best with an Earth sea level atmospheric composition and Earth-like gravity.

RobertDyck · 2021-11-08 00:39:05

Shifting discussion of spaceship pressure and spacesuit design. Large Ship post #484

tahanson43206 · 2021-11-08 15:02:31

For Clinician_Antilles per discussion by email, here is the "Smart Flosser" concept....

Invention wanted: Flossing tool (similar to Reach/Listerine product) with disposable flossing heads and builtin camera, light and Bluetooth transmitter.

In operation, the device will broadcast video of the work area to a nearby Smart Phone.

Electronics and battery will be installed in the handle.

This should end up as a billion dollar industry on Earth with a smaller but growing market on Mars.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2025-03-16 18:11:03

This promising topic has been idle since 2021. Today the Internet decided to let me know about some (to me remarkable) research in development of a successful artificial heart for human use. There have been a number of attempts, and i had not heard about this one.

https://www.popsci.com/technology/titan … wtab-en-us

Technology
Engineering
In world first, man leaves hospital with titanium heart
The BiVACOR implant worked for 105 days while he awaited a human transplant.
By Andrew Paul
Posted on Mar 14, 2025
Hand holding titanium heart implant against black background
BiVACOR's creator first began thinking of a metal heart transplant in 2001. Credit: BiVACOR
It looks like it’s straight out of a comic book, but BiVACOR is a real, functioning titanium heart. The metal device is ultimately intended as a replacement for human donor organs, but was first utilized last year as a stopgap for hospital patients awaiting transplants. According to its creators and St. Vincent’s Hospital representatives in Sydney, Australia, the groundbreaking invention recently marked a major milestone: a man survived for over 100 days with his BiVACOR implant, and was even temporarily discharged from the medical facility with it still pumping blood inside him.
The titanium device’s underlying principles were first envisioned in 2001 by a biomedical engineer named Daniel Timms. Timms, a plumber’s son, started by mimicking a human circulatory system using hardware store pipes and valves, but over the next 25 years, developed what would become BiVACOR. The end-result works without any actual valves and relies on a single moving part. This magnetically levitating rotor spins between two chambers while never coming into contact with the titanium frame itself, and thus eliminates the risk of gradual corrosion or malfunctions. The entire device weighs less than 1.5 lbs, and is powered by an external battery located on the abdomen. It’s also small enough to fit inside both men and women, as well as children as young as 12 years old. Research also suggests BiVOCAR can support an adult during strenuous exercise.
In 2024, doctors in the US and Australia made history by successfully installing the roughly fist-sized pump in a total of five patients. One of them, a man in his 40s dealing with severe heart failure, could only manage to walk a few feet before losing his breath. In the weeks following the six-hour procedure, however, the patient regained enough strength and mobility to leave the hospital until a donor heart became available. He returned to receive his human transplant in early March, and is now recovering, according to a March 12 announcement from St. Vincent’s Hospital.
“Heart failure kills almost 5,000 Australians every year. We’ve worked towards this moment for years and we’re enormously proud to have been the first team in Australia to carry out this procedure,” Paul Jansz, a heart surgeon involved in the procedure, said in a separate statement.
BiVACOR isn’t commercially available yet, but four more devices are being readied for use in Australia by the end of 2025. In the future, these titanium hearts may not just serve as temporary tools, but instead offer long term and perhaps even permanent replacements.

(th)

tahanson43206 · Today 10:19:22

Medical technology is advancing on multiple fronts, and doctors on Mars will certainly benefit in future years.

This post is about advances in dental technology. While the incident of reference was not successful, the report prepared by Google's Gemini shows that the possibility of growing replacement teeth in adults is in study in Japan.

Conversation with Gemini
Hi Gemini! Thank you for all your previous assistance with multiple questions. Today I'm venturing into dental research. A friend just went through months of treatment to set a dental implant, and after all those months, the bone did not knit properly, and the implant came out when tested by the dentist. The good news is that the defective tooth was removed before the implant was attempted, and now there is a cavity where the implant used to be. I've read that there has been research into the possibility of growing a new tooth using genetic material, and i'm wondering if you can find any evidence of success?
It's fascinating to explore the advancements in dental regeneration! Here's a breakdown of what I found regarding growing new teeth using genetic material:
Stem Cell Research:
Researchers are indeed exploring the use of stem cells to regenerate teeth. These stem cells can be derived from various sources, including dental pulp, which is the soft tissue inside teeth.
The goal is to create a biological tooth replacement that integrates seamlessly with the patient's jawbone and surrounding tissues.
Studies have shown promising results in using stem cells to regenerate tooth structures, including dentin and enamel.
Tissue Engineering:
Tissue engineering plays a crucial role in this research. Scientists are developing scaffolds, which are frameworks that guide the growth of new tooth tissue.
These scaffolds can be made from biocompatible materials and seeded with stem cells to promote tooth regeneration.
Researchers are working towards the creation of "functional biological tooth substitutes" as indicated by research done at Tufts university.
Personalized Dental Implants:
The concept of personalized dental implants, utilizing a patient's own DNA, is gaining traction.
This approach aims to improve tissue compatibility, promote bone regeneration, and enhance healing times.
By analyzing a patient's DNA, researchers can tailor implants to their unique biological makeup, reducing the risk of rejection and complications.
Challenges and Future Directions:
While the research is promising, there are still challenges to overcome. These include:
Cost: DNA-based dental implants are likely to be expensive initially.
Clinical trials: Extensive research and clinical trials are needed to ensure safety and effectiveness.
Ethical considerations: The use of genetic material raises ethical concerns that must be addressed.
Although growing whole new teeth is still being heavily researched, the progress that has been made in growing parts of teeth, and increasing bone growth for better implant placement is very promising.
In summary, the field of dental regeneration is advancing rapidly, with promising research into growing new teeth using genetic material and stem cell technology. While it may take some time before these technologies become widely available, they hold great potential for the future of dentistry.
Is there any hope for my friend to grow a new tooth? Your reply indicates that there are researchers studying this possibility. Are there any human trials in progress?
It's encouraging to see the progress being made in dental regeneration! Here's what I found regarding the possibility of growing a new tooth and the status of human trials:
Promising Research and Human Trials:
There is indeed significant research progressing, particularly in Japan, that offers hope.
Specifically, researchers have developed a drug that targets the USAG-1 protein, which plays a role in limiting tooth growth. By inhibiting this protein, they aim to stimulate the growth of new teeth.
It is very important to note that Human trials for this drug began in September of 2024. These trials are taking place at Kyoto University Hospital in Japan.
These trials are focusing on adults who have lost teeth.
There are also plans to begin trails on children with congenital anodontia, a condition where teeth do not develop.
The goal is to have the drug available by 2030.
Key Points:
This research is based on the idea that humans possess dormant "tooth buds" that can be activated.
The drug is intended to trigger the growth of these buds, leading to the regeneration of natural teeth.
While this is a very exciting development, it's important to remember that clinical trials are still in progress. The success of these trials will determine the future availability of this treatment.
Therefore, there is definately hope for people that have lost teeth to be able to regrow teeth in the future. It is important to stay informed on the progress of these clinical trials.
The next generation of regenerative dentistry: From tooth development biology to periodontal tissue, dental pulp, and whole tooth reconstruction in the clinical setting - PubMed Central
Source icon
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
New drug to regenerate lost teeth | KYOTO UNIVERSITY
Source icon
www.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Clinical trial set to begin in Japan for medicine to help grow teeth
Source icon
www.japantimes.co.jp
Thank you for this encouraging report! While my friend will be unable to benefit, at least we can be assured that doctors in Japan are working this problem.
You're very welcome! It's understandable to feel a mix of hope and perhaps a touch of "if only" when learning about these advancements. While the timing might not align perfectly for everyone, the fact that such research is progressing is incredibly significant.
Here's a recap of why this is so important:
Improving Quality of Life:
Tooth loss can have a profound impact on a person's quality of life, affecting their ability to eat, speak, and smile confidently.
Regenerative therapies offer the potential to restore these functions naturally, without the need for artificial replacements.
Reducing Reliance on Implants and Dentures:
While dental implants and dentures are effective solutions, they are not without their limitations.
Regenerated teeth would provide a more natural and integrated alternative.
Addressing Congenital Conditions:
The potential to help children with congenital anodontia is particularly exciting. This condition can have a significant impact on their oral development and overall well-being.
The Future of Dentistry:
This research represents a paradigm shift in dentistry, moving from replacement to regeneration.
It holds the promise of a future where tooth loss is no longer a permanent condition.
So, while your friend might not be able to benefit from these specific trials, their experience, and the experiences of countless others, contribute to the urgency and importance of this research. And it is very good to know that the research is taking place, and that there is hope for the future.

(th)

Void · Today 11:21:32

Hacking the bodies systems, seems like a good form of magic to acquire.

Two things, that could help space travel might be muscle and bone build mechanisms.

The body is very firm about not overdoing those it appears, as if they were overbuilt it could be dangerous to the organism's survival. But if these systems could be hacked, and the messaging biased, then two major problems of low gravity could be taken care of.

Blood pooling in the upper body, is another problem, but we don't know yet the extent of it. Would the body, have enough resources to compensate for it in Lunar or Mars gravity? I suspect that there is some minimum gravity that the body can cope with. Obviously, microgravity is too much for the body to deal with.

That is one thing that putting people on the Moon for a few months might reveal.

We know that our bodies typically lie flat on a bed for approximately 33% of the time, and we only stand tall for a minority of the day, in most cases, I think, so the body has coping mechanisms, but they just cannot handle microgravity.

My hope is that Lunar gravity is enough, and that bone and muscle hacked, then we only have to provide a minimal synthetic gravity.

Otherwise, some type of a biomechanical shunt might be put in the body, to reroute blood from the upper body to the lower body. But that could likely be very dangerous, as for blood clots, and other problems from such an unnatural means of fluid balancing.

Japan seems to have a unique ability to do some impressive things with body functions. I suspect that power jealousy does not work the same in Japan as it does in our cultures.

For instance, I would be very surprised if Tesla's were vandalized in Japan for the reasons, they are vandalized in "Western" nations. I fear that in the USA any work on teeth such as has apparently been done in Japan, would be intercepted by some predatory power jealousy. We are fortunate that Japan is as it is, I think.

Ending Pending

Last edited by Void (Today 11:30:59)

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#1 2021-11-07 17:53:35

Medical Technology Needed for Mars/Commercial Applications

#2 2021-11-07 18:06:47

Re: Medical Technology Needed for Mars/Commercial Applications

#3 2021-11-07 18:24:05

Re: Medical Technology Needed for Mars/Commercial Applications

#4 2021-11-07 18:30:36

Re: Medical Technology Needed for Mars/Commercial Applications

#5 2021-11-07 18:51:51

Re: Medical Technology Needed for Mars/Commercial Applications

#6 2021-11-07 21:13:25

Re: Medical Technology Needed for Mars/Commercial Applications

#7 2021-11-07 23:55:20

Re: Medical Technology Needed for Mars/Commercial Applications

#8 2021-11-08 00:39:05

Re: Medical Technology Needed for Mars/Commercial Applications

#9 2021-11-08 15:02:31

Re: Medical Technology Needed for Mars/Commercial Applications

#10 2025-03-16 18:11:03

Re: Medical Technology Needed for Mars/Commercial Applications

#11 Today 10:19:22

Re: Medical Technology Needed for Mars/Commercial Applications

#12 Today 11:21:32

Re: Medical Technology Needed for Mars/Commercial Applications

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