Smart-I (used by NASA)

Project Brief

The Smart-I is a design collaboration between Form Designs and TelemedC LLC; a medical imaging and diagnostic company based in Perth. The aim of the project was to create a single portable device that could perform the function of several larger eye imaging devices. The project was based on the Lion’s Eye Institute project from several years ago.

Project Outcome

The design collaboration produced an innovative medical device that has now been adopted by NASA for use on astronauts in space. NASA wanted to examine the effects of microgravity on the human eye to analyse the health risks astronauts face on long missions into space. The Smart-I was durable, portable and compact, which made it perfect for it’s important research role in space. The purpose of the NASA study, performed on astronauts at the International Space Station, is to collect evidence to characterise the risk and define the visual changes, vascular changes, and central nervous system changes in each individual. The results will address several gaps in current knowledge as well as identifying potential risks for crews on long-duration space missions.