Diagnostic device

Irish company Radisens Diagnostics is working with ESA to develop a spaceworthy version of its 'Point-of-Care' diagnostic system, able to check patient health from a single drop of their blood. The droplet is placed on a portable device built around a disc like a mini-DVD. The disc is set spinning to separate the sample into plasma and serum for a whole range of simultaneous tests. On the ground, there are already numerous applications – the automated laboratory unit covers illnesses such as heart disease, prostate cancer, diabetes and liver disease.