NASA DO shares updates on AI in space

James D. Polk, DO, NASA’s chief health and medical officer, recently spoke at OMED24 about the second renaissance currently occurring in the space industry and shared details about how artificial intelligence (AI) is starting to help researchers make certain things easier for astronauts.

Throughout his speech, Dr. Polk described how the commercial space industry has grown exponentially. He is receiving more and more calls from practitioners inquiring about their patients who are going to space and how they can keep them healthy. He notes that AI and other advancements are making staying healthy in space easier.

“We will continue to see more and more people going to space,” said Dr. Polk. “We’re all in a race to get nuclear fusion, a very clean fuel that helps with climate change and is a renewable energy source.”

Dr. Polk’s keynote address is available to watch on the OMED24 platform through Dec. 31. The OMED platform has virtual educational content from 20 medical specialties and participants can earn up to 50 hours of CME credit.

Dr. Polk has been with NASA for eight years, and previously served as the assistant secretary (acting) for Health Affairs and chief medical officer of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the chief of space medicine for NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

In his talk, Dr. Polk describes how unforgiving an environment it is in space—loss of bone density, changes in vision and changes in muscle morphology are only some of the issues astronauts can experience health-wise, making a holistic approach to care necessary.

Currently, NASA is working with researchers on developing robots that will be able to help carry equipment and complete research in space. That technology has also been used to improve prosthetics for people who aren’t in space that need them. NASA also has exoskeletons for astronauts to use to help them maintain their bone density and muscle mass in space.

“AI, I think, is like chicken pox,” said Dr. Polk. “One legion begets a thousand, and everyone is interested in AI right now. We are looking at AI as a diagnostic tool to augment the physician, not replace the physician.”

 NASA’s Project AIDEN (Artificial Intelligence Diagnostic Enhancement Network) is a cutting-edge AI that integrates multiple databases, software and modeling to aid in decision support, expansion of differential diagnoses and procedures to assist the astronaut, Dr. Polk noted.

Dr. Polk elaborated that astronauts on Mars will have to be ready to play many roles, including dentist, OB-GYN and emergency physician. This is especially necessary in emergencies because of the delay in communicating back to Earth. AI can walk astronauts through performing certain procedures and help them be more self-sufficient in space.

Related reading:

3 osteopathic organizations win 2024 Outstanding Affiliate Awards

DO makes history as first physician to receive National NASA Public Service Award