Phyxable, in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency, is working on an autonomous medical module to monitor astronauts’ health during space missions. The module called the Connected Care Medical Module, consists of hardware components such as an advanced medical pod built by Phyxable, Micron Digital, and WizCraft Design. It also includes software development, including an AI-based tool called Morpheus. The module aims to address the unique health challenges faced by astronauts during long-duration space flights and ensure effective communication between healthcare providers on Earth and astronauts in space.
Dr. Jim Feng, the CEO of Phyxable, sheds light on the collaboration between his company and the Canadian Space Agency’s Health Beyond Initiative. Their joint efforts aim to develop groundbreaking tools for space health monitoring.
Phyxable, a virtual care platform that enables patients to connect with physiotherapists and empowers users to proactively manage their health, was chosen as one of five companies by the Canadian Space Agency to contribute to the Health Beyond Initiative in 2023. This initiative focuses on sustainable and innovative solutions to address the health challenges faced by astronauts.
Dr. Jim Feng sat down with MobiHealthNews to discuss the collaborative project known as the Connected Care Medical Module. Phyxable, alongside its partners, is working closely with the Canadian Space Agency to analyze the health of astronauts during space flights.
MobiHealthNews: Can you elaborate on Phyxable’s collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency?
Dr. Jim Feng: Our collaboration with the CSA and NASA, as well as other entities involved in the Mars space journey, revolves around creating improved human health measures. Space health, particularly during deep space missions lasting six months or longer, poses unique challenges that require a different approach compared to Earth-based healthcare.
The key challenge lies in the limited resources available during space travel. Consequently, we can only rely on generalists who possess broad knowledge but lack specialization.
One publicly known aspect of the CSA’s request for proposal (RFP) was to address two components. Firstly, the hardware aspect focused on constructing compact and self-sustained medical facilities. We have developed an autonomous medical pod equipped with various features like 30 solar panels, rain catch systems, UV sterilization, and even robotics. This pod called the Advanced Medical Pods, will be showcased at the Canadian Space Agency, NATO, and NASA in the coming months.
The hardware is a collaborative effort involving Phyxable, Micron Digital, and WizCraft Design. We have brought together the necessary expertise to build these hardware components. Moreover, the pod must ensure interoperability to accommodate various devices and solutions. Collaboration with multiple players will be integral to the success of the Phyxable platform.
The second component focuses on software development. Together with Micron Digital, we have created an impressive AI-based tool called Morpheus, which addresses the challenge of interoperability. We will be launching it soon and anticipate it will revolutionize the field.
MHN: How will the module effectively connect healthcare providers on Earth with astronauts in space, considering potential communication delays?
Feng: Communication delays are indeed a factor to consider. To tackle this, we are incorporating a mesh network provided by Micron Digital into the system. This network, along with the autonomous capabilities of the module, allows for diverse connectivity options.
While the module can operate independently, it can also synchronize data with the cloud on Earth and vice versa. When it comes to telemedicine, the workflow and information relay dynamics change. We need to adapt our approaches to include text, voice, images, closed captioning, and other communication methods.
We plan to have a fully functional demonstration ready for our showcase in the second week of July. That’s when we will officially present it to the world. The autonomous capabilities of the module are crucial for space travel, be it on ships, space stations, lunar bases, or future Mars bases. Artificial intelligence will play a significant role in suggesting implementation tasks and supporting the generalists present in these environments.
We are thrilled about these developments as they will greatly expedite healthcare processes here on Earth.
