By Mark Gostock, VP of Health and Wellbeing Commercialisation at Ploughshare
Defence research and development (R&D) has long been a driver of technological innovation, pushing the boundaries of engineering, materials science, and biotechnology. The primary focus of defence R&D is, of course, to enhance military capability, but its impact on the medical field is undeniable.
Many of the advancements in trauma care, surgical robotics, diagnostics, and even pharmaceuticals have their roots in defence-funded research – and that is something that we at Ploughshare are proud to continue on pushing today.
We help by leveraging cutting-edge technologies developed with the battlefield in mind, liberating and scaling them to have positive impact on global markets – whether defence or civilian. Defence R&D continues to shape the future of healthcare, improving civilian medical treatments and public health outcomes.
From the Battlefield to the Emergency Room
One of the most significant contributions of defence R&D to medicine is in trauma care. Military conflicts have historically driven major innovations in treating life-threatening injuries, leading to developments that are now standard in civilian hospitals.
Tourniquets, haemostatic agents, quick and effective damage control surgery – all these aspects of modern healthcare have their roots in battlefield medicine, and all of them have seen uptake in civilian medicine. It’s this type of relationship that many aren’t aware of, and what Ploughshare looks to help promote to the world. There is simply a lot of research that comes out of the UK’s defence research and development bodies – such as the Defence science and technology laboratory (Dstl) – that has a hugely positive impact on everyone. If we take recent technologies that Ploughshare is working with, such as Presymptom Health and EyeTBI it’s evident to see.
These technologies embrace cutting edge science and an initial need from the battlefield, and place the technology in an arena where many can benefit from it. After all, if you’re a civilian you are not immune to either sepsis or traumatic brain injuries – you can get either from cutting yourself after a fall, or hurting your head playing rugby in the park. Or if even worse should happen and you need to be airlifted, well, chances are those paramedics in the helicopter may have learnt their emergency medicine techniques from medical staff in the military or may have even been a part of medevac teams in Afghanistan or Iraq. The impact these people and technologies have is boundary-less.
Robotics and AI in Surgery: Defence Technology in the Operating Room
Defence R&D has played a pivotal role in advancing robotic and AI-driven surgical systems. Originally developed for remote operations in extreme environments, these technologies have now become integral to modern surgical procedures.
- Robotic-Assisted Surgery: The precision robotics developed for military applications, such as remotely operated drones and autonomous systems, have influenced robotic surgical platforms like the Da Vinci system, allowing for minimally invasive procedures with greater accuracy and reduced recovery times.
- AI-Powered Diagnostics: Machine learning and AI-driven image analysis, initially designed for intelligence gathering and target recognition, are now being used to detect tumours, analyse medical imaging, and even predict patient deterioration in intensive care units.
- Telemedicine and Remote Surgery: Defence-funded research into teleoperated robotic systems has made it possible for surgeons to perform operations remotely, enabling life-saving interventions in disaster zones, rural areas, and even space missions.
Rapid Diagnostics and Disease Detection
The ability to quickly detect and respond to biological threats has been a priority for defence agencies, leading to significant advancements in medical diagnostics.
Portable diagnostic tools originally designed for detecting bioterrorism agents and chemical warfare substances have been adapted for rapid disease detection, such as COVID-19 antigen tests and portable blood analysers for point of care testing. Presymptom Health aims to continue this on and do exactly that but for sepsis diagnostics – which anyone can get.
We also saw the benefits of AI-driven predictive models used by military intelligence for threat detection which were being applied to monitor and predict the spread of infectious diseases, assisting public health organisations in outbreak prevention and response. RiskAware, a licensee of Ploughshare-scaled technology CrystalCast, were the case in point here, assisting in finding common ground for assessments of Covid-19 infection from up and down the country.
The Future of Defence R&D in Medical Technology
As global security threats evolve, so too will the innovations emerge from defence R&D. In the coming years, we can expect continued cross-pollination between military and civilian healthcare technology. With that in mind, the impact of defence R&D on medical technology can’t really be overstated. From trauma care and diagnostics to surgical robotics and pharmaceuticals, military-driven research has saved countless lives and revolutionised healthcare as we know it. It’s even stopped us from getting lost by developing GPS.
As investment in defence technology continues, the medical field stands to benefit further. But government funding is not infinite, and further external collaboration and funding are critical to keep us all moving forward. For us at Ploughshare, it’s about us showing that the relationship between defence and medicine, for example, is not just about responding to crises—it is about proactively driving the next wave of medical breakthroughs. I would imagine that anyone with the right outlook would want to get involved in that.
