Biosensors for Exploration Medical System

The current International Space Station (ISS) electrocardiogram (ECG) system for donning the biomedical sensors is time consuming and inconvenient, requiring shaving, application of electrodes, and signal checks. A more efficient ECG system will save crew time and reduce the overhead of stowing additional supplies. Additionally, the current ECG hardware requires dedicated ISS power and significant volume, but advances in microelectronics has significantly reduced the volume and power required for ECG applications. The Biosensors-EMSD (Exploration Medical System Demonstration) will demonstrate the integration of small, battery powered, easy to use biomedical sensors and data acquisition devices that will have the ability to measure, store, and transmit physiologic parameters during operational and ambulatory scenarios.

Specific Aims:

1. Demonstrate that commercial off the shelf (COTS) and emerging technologies satisfy exploration physiological monitoring requirements and operational requirements

2. Reduce the time required of an on-orbit crew and ground personnel to store, access, transfer, and process physiological data

3. Provide a mechanism for interfacing biomedical sensor technology with a common data management framework and architecture to enable the EMSD objectives.

The functionality of the ECG system will be verified through a ground demonstration and an ISS flight demonstration, both as part of the Exploration Medical System Demonstration. The project will begin with a market survey of available COTS ECG systems that meet physiological monitoring requirements followed by a direct COTS procurement. The ECG system will then be tested and verified for proper capabilities by CMO analogs. Ground testing will require CMO analogs to don the ECG system and execute a series of predetermined tasks while a variety of ECG data and video is collected. ECG data and video will be examined to ensure data quality, appropriate data routing, and to demonstrate system efficiency. Flight testing will be similar to ground testing, but may not be as comprehensive given in-flight resource limitations. The availability of more varied medical condition simulations, more extensive supply of power, fewer time and space limitations, and enhanced system characterization capabilities will allow the ground demonstration to expand the on-orbit objectives by assessing system effectiveness and performance.

NOTE: Project completed 6/30/2016 with transfer to Medical Operations at Johnson Space Center.

Our purpose is to better equip crew member medical monitoring for future exploration missions.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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