When most people think of NASA, they think of that "place" where they put stuff up into space to explore the universe. True, but there is more to NASA than most people know. NASA does a tremendous amount of technology research and a lot of it is helping us Earthlings.

     One area of recent innovation from NASA is in the use of radar to aid helicopter pilots. There are times when a helicopter pilot must fly close to the ground and amongst obstacles. A good example is with airborne law enforcement in the city, or helicopters used for emergency medical transport. Another example is the military. NASA has conducted flight tests of a new collision avoidance radar system intended to help helicopter pilots fly more safely when operating close to the ground or in poor weather conditions.

       The new technology is called the 35 GHz Millimeter-Wave (MMW) Radar Forward Sensor. It is designed to detect obstacles in an aircraft's flight path and provides a cockpit display to help avoid them.  Although developed for helicopters, the new radar system has potential uses for all aircraft.

      Collision avoidance is of concern to all aircraft, requiring the detection of hazardous terrain or obstacles in sufficient time to maneuver around the object. It is most crucial for helicopters because they often do a great deal of work at low altitude, near to terrain and hazardous obstacles.

      Although there already exist some "enhanced vision" systems, they are primarily useful for takeoff and landing approach. They are not suitable for general maneuvering.  Military helicopters  often fly below tree level, face unique guidance and control tasks, such as aircraft concealment and obstacle avoidance. These tasks require a high degree of pilot concentration, which is intensified during bad weather and during stressful tactical situations. Automation of some of these tasks can reduce pilot workload, while enhancing safety.
.
     Flight tests were conducted over flat and moderately rugged mountainous terrain.  While airborne, the new radar system constructed a database of the terrain and obstacles it detected in the aircraft's flight path and produced a three dimensional synthetic perspective grid panel display for the pilot. The new radar system also operates well in bad weather conditions such as fog or rain, when visibility is poor. More testing is being conducted, but the technology should be available soon.

      Another area of innovation from NASA will no doubt really surprise you. The inventors of a new, innovative knee brace are not medical researchers or physicians.  Rather, they are a group of engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, who are using space technology to help people recovering from strokes and knee injuries.

      The device is  called the Selectively Lockable Knee Brace, could mean quicker, less painful rehabilitation by allowing movement of the knee.  Knee braces now on the market lock the knee in a rigid, straight-leg position. This type of brace would be especially useful for patients who have suffered a loss of muscle control in their lag from stroke or injury.

     The new type of brace allows the knee to function while providing support for the leg. It would be particularly useful for  a patient recovering from a knee injury when the patient needs to use the knee, but the knee cannot carry the full weight of the patient.

      The upper part of the brace attaches around the thigh, with the lower part secured by a stirrup around the shoe. It works by allowing the knee to bend when weight is not on the heel. Once weight is placed on the heel, the knee brace locks into position. NASA is contracting an outside company to produce prototypes and pursue bringing the technology out onto the market. After all, NASA needs to keep a close eye on all those objects of astronomical origin!