Non-Invasive Hemodynamic Monitoring in Microgravity

Microgravity-induced changes in cardiovascular physiology are well-known and significant. Even short duration flights can lead to orthostatic intolerance, syncope, and reduced maximal oxygen uptake upon return to earth. In long-duration spaceflights, these effects can lead to the incapacity to egress the re-entry vehicle without help. Countermeasures, such as exercise or low body negative pressure application, are typically used to mitigate these effects. However, there is still a need for a simple method to monitor and quantify the cardiac de-compensation and the effectiveness of the counter-measures, as shown in the NASA Bioastronautics Roadmap.
Paper (July 2013): Preliminary results from standing ballistocardiography measurements in microgravity
Paper (Aug 2014): Standing ballistocardiography measurements in microgravity Stanford scientists brave the 'vomit comet' to improve astronauts' heart health

Early detection of cardiovascular changes is of prime importance for assessing astronaut health in space on short and long term missions. This novel non-invasive cardiovascular monitor will benefit future NASA missions and health care providers for ground-based cardiovascular risk assessments.

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