Augmented and virtual reality advance health research aboard station

Biomedical tests using augmented and virtual reality tools dominated the research schedule aboard the International Space Station on Wednesday. The Expedition 74 crew is also turning its attention to a spacewalk at the end of the month following the departure of a U.S.

cargo spacecraft. Flight engineers Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway began their shift in the Columbus laboratory module conducting vein scans with guidance from doctors on the ground. The duo took turns scanning each other with the EchoFinder-2 ultrasound device that collects health data using augmented reality and artificial intelligence tools.

The medical hardware provided by ESA provides a screen using augmented reality to guide the operator’s probe motion and artificial intelligence software to detect the subject’s organs, and the lightweight, easy-to-use gear may enable independent crew health monitoring on spacecraft travelling to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

iss, expedition 74, jessica meir, jack hathaway, echofinder-2, augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, ultrasound, esa