The technology behind the following products was originally designed to keep astronauts alive and make their time in space as easy as possible. However, it soon outgrew those limits and ended up in commercial use due to its usefulness. These are some of those items:
Sneakers with shock-absorbing material
Are you familiar with soft soles in sneakers when you run or jump? Air Nikes actually derive from technology designed for astronaut helmets, which absorbed shock.
Mattresses with memory foam
In the late 1960s, memory foam was developed for aircraft seats, which NASA recognized as an excellent material for its spacecraft and airplanes.
Equipment for training
Staying in space for a long time causes muscles and bones to weaken, which is why astronauts have to exercise. However, in a weightless state, lifting weights doesn’t really make sense. That’s why NASA has developed devices that use rubber and springs to create resistance and thus provide astronauts with the exercise they need. In addition, they were much simpler and easier to transport.
Measuring the temperature in the ear
This technology actually hides the same technology that astronomers use to measure the temperature of stars and planets. It is an infrared technology that can very quickly determine the body’s temperature depending on how much infrared energy it emits.
Scratch-resistant glasses
In order to find a better material than glass lenses, eyeglass manufacturers turned to a different technology. The coating for the astronauts’ helmets protected them from breaking and scratches. It was this coating that was key to the development of today’s plastic lenses.
Hair straighteners
Thanks to NASA’s nanomaterials research, ceramic nanoparticles were used for the first time. Experts have discovered that when special ceramic nanoparticles are heated, they produce negative or positive ions, which have proven to be excellent for styling hair.
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