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Spinoff story
Virtual Therapist Offers Out-of-This-World Depression Treatment
A real-world story of NASA technology finding a life beyond the mission.
About this technology
Overview
Mental health problems could be a real challenge for NASA crewmembers on long-duration missions—and it’s not like they can pop out to the therapist. With grants from the Johnson Space Center-funded National Space Biomedical Research Institute, James Cartreine built a computer-based system called Virtual Space Station that would help diagnose and treat a range of mental health issues. In 2012, Cartreine and Claudia Zayfert founded Norwich, Vermont-based everMind to adapt and sell the virtual treatment modules on Earth.