The crazy things NASA is inventing – including underwear for race car drivers & heart rate ID
NASA has revealed in its Spinoff a slew of inventions it is working on in 2022 – and some of them will blow your mind.
The US space agency has invented some pretty incredible things since it was created in 1958, and the list is only growing in 2022.
NASA holds thousands of patents for inventions across a number of fields including robotics and aerospace.
After all, 'invention' is an inherent part of the job for a company whose mission is centered around exploration – a task that frequently requires new technologies, software, and research.
This is demonstrated in the agency's latest Spinoff magazine, where the company shares annually its latest technologies – some of which are often utilized by third-party companies – aimed at making the world a better place.
"The value of NASA is not confined to the cosmos but realized throughout our country," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, at the launch of Spinoff 2022.
"As we combat the coronavirus pandemic and promote environmental justice and sustainability, NASA technology is essential to address humanity's greatest challenges," Nelson added.
Here are some of the most innovative inventions the agency revealed this year.
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Flame retardant underwear for race car drivers
Included in the Spinoff list is flame retardant underwear for race car drivers that were developed with materials used to create astronauts' space suits.
Should drivers face an accident, the materials absorb and release heat as the surrounding temperatures rise.
"No matter what phase it’s in, in either hot or cold environments, the temperature stays around the melting point. This ensures that the material, much like Goldilocks’ porridge, always feels just right," NASA engineers said.
The material was originally licensed to Outlast Technologies but then sold to UK-based Walero -- founded by racer Fiona James, whose goal was to create safe, heat-resistant underwear.
The product was quickly approved for use in several world racing championships and is now used by drivers in the IndyCar and European Rally Championship, as well as by NASCAR.
Heart rate identification
One of the most innovative Spinoff products is a next-generation heart identification system.
NASA predicts that heart rates could be the next big thing for unlocking phones, computers, and even accessing bank accounts, replacing biometric verifications systems such as fingerprints and retinal scans.
The ID system works by measuring electrical signals associated with heart waves, which is the same technology used to monitor astronauts' heart rates in space.
The system also uses about 192 different parameters to identify unique heart markers, which could make for an exceptionally secure identity verification system.
NASA believes this technology could be used throughout many fields, including law enforcement, banking, healthcare, and airport security.
The technology is currently available for commercial application and licensing.
Air purifiers
Many NASA technologies created for space can be utilized here on Earth -- this includes their air purifying system.
In the 1990s, NASA, in partnership with the Wisconsin Center for Space Automation and Robotics (WCSAR), found a way to grow plants on the International Space Station through a process known as photocatalytic oxidation.
As a result, the air quality on the ISS was improved and the spread of airborne viruses decreased.
This same technology is now being utilized by companies like ActivePure and Airgloss, which have put out a number of air purifier products to help combat the spread of COVID-19, according to NASA Spinoff.
In other news, a large asteroid is making its way towards Earth and should reach its closest approach today.
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