One of the key challenges in space exploration is sustaining life on long-term manned space missions. An initiative of the European Space Agency, the Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative (MELiSSA), is exploring the technologies needed for long-term human survival in space.

ESA Technology Broker presented the possibility of using these technologies in terrestrial applications during the Space for Cities seminar. The seminar initiated a discussion between technology companies and local government representatives about technological potential of these technologies for sustainable cities and architecture.

Following this discussion, AG Data City, which is a company dealing with air, weather and microclimate monitoring, prepared a collaborative project with Airbus. This involves the terrestrial use of technology capturing atmospheric CO2 from the space station environment. CO2 can be reused for plant growing.

AG Data City will offer this technology adapted for buildings to architects and building and facility managers. The benefits will be a healthier indoor environment, improved sense of well-being and improved cognitive function for residents. In addition, pilot projects can receive funding through cooperation with the City of Prague.

Is the project interesting for you or want to observe its development? You can leave your feedback to AG Data City using the questionnaire here (Czech only).

At the end of October, the Brno-based company Svarovsky, s.r.o. completed a project of a white cane upgraded with an electronic sensor enabling monitoring of the nearby surroundings. The innovation is also the first project supported by the ESA Spark Funding CZ programme for the use of space technologies in Earth-based applications.

Svarovsky, s.r.o. has successfully integrated the Single Photon Avalenche Diodes (SPAD) technology into the handle of the white cane, which allows to emit a photon and measure the time of its reflection from an obstacle. The signal is converted into a vibration of the cane handle and the user receives information about obstacles even outside the physical range of the cane. The technology was originally used in the Czech ELT (European Laser Timing) project, which was part of the international ACES (Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space) experiment. This experiment, dealing with time synchronisation on board the International Space Station (ISS), used a SPAD sensor to capture a laser signal sent from the ground station. With the ability to very accurately record the time of photon impact, the technology allowed for very precise control of the on-board clock and coordination with the ground center.

The new use of SPAD technology in the white cane improves the orientation capabilities of the visually impaired and is a good example of the socio-economic potential of transferring space research results to technological applications on Earth.