What we can learn (and get) from NASA

Many people know NASA as the organization that builds satellites and sends them into space. It got people to the Moon (allegedly). It put a telescope at the second Lagrange point.

Perhaps what is not known as much is how much research and development is happening at NASA and how much we benefit from it. For instance, thanks to NASA, we can measure thermal radiation of stars and planets. That led to the development of infrared ear thermometers used with newborns.

Many people can see far better thanks to the LASIK technology originally developed for autonomous docking of a space vehicle. Today it is used during eye surgery to track the movement of the eye while reshaping the cornea with a laser.

Another problem NASA’s research helps solve? You know that one deadly artifact after a war are landmines which cause death and injuries long after the conflict is over. Using unused rocket fuel, you burn through the landmine without detonating it.

The list would not be complete without mentioning TEMPUR foam which brings comfortable sleep to millions of people. It was originally developed for crash protection. Last but not least is the CMOS image sensor, which was developed for interplanetary missions to capture clear images of planets and now used in every device taking digital pictures. I am sure that many of the Instagram influencers don't even know how space technology is helping them to be famous.

There are many more spinoff technologies like this, thanks to NASA.

Of course, one can point out that all these inventions are good and useful; and many people benefit from that research. But what about now? Is there something which we can benefit from today without waiting for somebody else to build it?

The answer - which I recently learned from one of the dedicated readers - is in the NASA Technology  Transfer Program.

First, there is a patent portfolio which the public can license from NASA directly.

One of the examples is a method for Secure Optical Quantum Communications. I wrote about Quantum Communication in the past and mentioned a few problems associated with building technology like this. What NASA originally developed for micro-robots used for deep space exploration, can be applied wherever fiber-optic or satellite is used for communication.

Another good one is the Portable Wireless Signal Booster. The device requires no batteries or plugs to operate. It can be integrated into objects like tents or window shades and acts like a lens to enhance the gain of an antenna for a mobile device or laptop.

If it's still too much effort to build something, you can download software to use in your current application. It can be anything from data & image processing, environmental science or system testing, to name a few.

We sometimes get swept by the new and shiny (yes, I am talking about ChatGPT, Bard), when it comes to building something ready for production and reliably used by many people in a very predictive way. We realize that the latest and greatest is not the answer; and that we don't have the resources to keep developing until it is production-ready.

That's where initiatives like the NASA Technology Transfer Program can provide a competitive advantage without expensive R&D programs. Sometimes we just like to keep inventing the wheel over and over without looking around and noticing others on bicycles. And that's the recurrent pattern.