Episode 019 - Stellar Solutions: Space-Inspired Tech in Our Everyday Lives; part 2-of-2

“We hold patents on a few gadgets we confiscated from visitors. Velcro, microwave ovens, liposuction.”

- Tommy Lee Jones as "K", describing how the Men in Black fund their exploits

Very amusing concept for science fiction, but the boundary between space exploration and everyday life blurs in reality, where innovations born in the cold vacuum of space find their way into our homes, transforming how we live and work.

This is the story of how necessity in the cosmos became the mother of invention on Earth.

Picture working in an environment where temperatures swing from a scorching +250°F in direct sunlight to a bone-chilling -250°F in the shade, where traditional lubricants freeze or evaporate, and where the absence of air means no natural cooling. The solutions developed for these extreme conditions would eventually trickle down to our garages and workshops, spawning not just the cordless drill but an entire family of battery-powered tools that have liberated us from the tyranny of power cords.

But the story doesn't end there.

These cosmic hand-me-downs represent more than just clever adaptations - they're testament to human ingenuity under the most extreme conditions imaginable. When engineers had to solve problems where failure wasn't an option, up there, they created solutions so robust and versatile that they transformed life, down here, on Earth.

Today, as we peer into our garages or kitchen cabinets, we might not immediately see the connection to space exploration. But with each press of the microwave button or squeeze of a drill trigger, we're benefiting from a legacy of innovation that began with humanity's greatest adventure. These everyday tools carry within them the DNA of space exploration, reminding us that sometimes the most practical solutions come from the most extraordinary challenges.

 

How does Microchip Technology empower innovation up there, so we can enjoy it down here?

 

This is part 2 of a two-part episode.

 

Links from the episode:

https://www.microchip.com/space

 

Guests: 

Eli Kawam

Bill Dillard