to medical supplies . Having a regulatorycompliant 3D printing system that can be solar-powered , in a remote setting , would allow locals to produce medical supplies on demand locally at a much lower cost , and without any delays .”
“ Part of the reason we invest in space exploration is because we can spin off benefits here on Earth ,” she adds . “ And the bigger the benefits , the better .”
To that effect , Wong devised a solarpowered 3D printing system to create medical supplies on-site . Since 2017 , she has led crews of analogue astronauts at the Mars Desert Research Station to test designs and find out whether this 3D printing system can work in a harsh , dusty , austere environment .
The types of medical devices they are focusing on are used for non-urgent procedures . “ 3D printing takes time , so you wouldn ’ t rely on it to make supplies during a medical emergency ,” says Wong . “ But if medical items are used up for an emergency procedure , you could 3D print replacement consumables afterwards .”
“ The ISS Crew Medical Officers are trained to perform basic dental procedures , because dental problems are common on earth so they ’ re common in space too . Dental issues are important to fix because otherwise the astronaut
31 healthcareglobal . com