Memory foam, baby formula, cordless drills — all three innovations were originally developed for NASA, and eventually made billions of dollars here on Earth.
A new type of blood-testing platform created by a startup called rHEALTH may be the next winner on this list.
This company’s platform was originally designed for astronauts, who needed a reliable way to monitor their health while spending months, or even years, on missions in outer space.
So NASA phoned a research lab called DNA Medicine Institute and asked it to create such a solution. The result was a blood-testing platform that could run medical tests using a single drop of blood, with a device that could operate in zero gravity. The device was called a Reusable Handheld Electrolyte and Laboratory Technology for Humans — rHEALTH, for short.
This device was successfully tested aboard the International Space Station in 2022. But soon after, its creators realized that the device had great potential on Earth. So it aimed to create a consumer version, and launched a startup called rHEALTH to bring it to market.
rHEALTH is developing a consumer version of its testing platform. It's called the rHEALTH Awesome. It features the same diagnostic capabilities as the original platform, while being, in the words of the company, “reshaped for everyday use.”
The system includes a primary handheld analyzer that reads blood samples, uploaded via single-use cartridges. A wearable sensor tracks vital signs like heart and respiratory rate, while results are sent to an accompanying mobile app.
With its platform, rHEALTH is targeting the $323 billion market for diagnostics and patient-monitoring devices. Initially, it will go after the $16 billion market for complete blood count tests — this test, known as CBC, gives doctors a snapshot of your overall health and is one of the most common blood tests in the world — and part of the market for patient-monitoring devices.
To generate revenue, rHEALTH will employ a razor/razor-blade business model. This involves making money through a one-time sale of a product (a razor, for example) as well as recurring sales of a related accessory or consumable (for example, razor blades).
In this case, the rHEALTH Awesome device will serve as the razor, while disposable test cartridges will be the blades. The company may generate additional revenue via subscriptions to its app.
rHEALTH launched in 2023. The company has raised more than $23 million in funding from NASA, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and pharmaceutical companies.
rHEALTH has been finalists in multiple startup competitions and its platform has been featured in scientific journals Nature Communications and PLOS One. The company has applied for, or been granted, seventeen patents to protect its technology.