Space bugs prototypes

Prototypes of space bugs designed by Dr Vladislav Djakov to monitor fluids in space station pipes. The prototypes have a ‘brain’ chip, battery and a Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) module used to move through the pipes.

Dr Djakov's development started at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, part of the UK’s Science and Technology Facility Council and was partially funded by the British National Space Centre, now known as the UK Space Agency. The goal of the research was to evaluate Micro Electro Mechanical Systems for space applications.

“We also looked at using cantilevers for micro-optical applications in space, which could reduce the size of infrared-based space spectrometers,” recalled Dr Djakov.

The further work to spin off of this space technology was done by Dr Djakov's team at Microvisk and started in 2004. The company is completing clinical trials in preparation for the launch in 2013 of its two coagulometers: CoagMax aimed at medical doctors and CoagLite designed for home-testing by patients themselves.