PubMed Health⌕ Search
Home/Archive/PubMed

PubMed · 636971

Technology transfer: from space exploration to occupational therapy.

E DiSante
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

The technologies developed for the United States space exploration program are frequently adapted for use in other fields, including occupational therapy. For example, technologies transferred from the space program to occupational therapy include a special foam material, developed for space vehicle seating, that is now used as a padding for orthopedic and prosthetic devices; and a control switch, developed for astronauts immobilized by the force of gravity, that has been adapted for use by paralyzed patients. These and similar space technology spinoffs and the several technology utilization programs that help provide new aerospace solutions to health-care problems are discussed in this article.

Explore related subjects

Biomedical EngineeringChildHumansOccupational TherapySelf-Help DevicesSpace FlightTechnologyJournal ArticleResearch Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

E DiSante. 1978. Technology transfer: from space exploration to occupational therapy.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/636971/

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

PubMed2007

Optimal design of non-Newtonian, micro-scale viscous pumps for biomedical devices.

The present paper addresses the numerical optimization of geometrical parameters of non-Newtonian micro-scale viscous pumps for biomedical devices. The objective is to maximize the mass flow rate per unit of shaft power consumed by the rotor when an external pressure load is applied along the channel that houses the rotor. Two geometric parameters are considered in the optimization process: (i) the height of the channel that houses the rotor (H) and (ii), the eccentricity (epsilon) of the rotor. Three different micro-scale viscous pump configurations were tested: a straight-housed pump (I-shaped housing) and two curved housed pumps (L- and U-shaped housings). The stress-strain constitutive law is modeled by a power-law relation. The results show that the geometric optimization of micro-scale viscous pumps is critical since the mass flow rate propelled by the rotor is highly dependent on epsilon and H. Numerical simulations indicate that mass flow rate is maximized when epsilon approximately 0, namely when the rotor is placed at a distance of 0.05 radii from the lower wall. The results also show that micro-scale viscous pumps with curved housing provide higher mass flow rate per unit of shaft power consumed when compared with straight-housed pumps. The results are presented in terms optimized dimensions of all three configurations (i.e., H(opt) and epsilon(opt)) and for values of the power-law index varying between 0.5 (shear thinning fluids) and 1.5 (shear-thickening fluids).

Biomedical Engineering↗