Individualized Stress Detection System

Given the extended duration of future missions and the isolated, extreme and confined environments, there is the possibility that stress-related behavioral conditions and mental disorders (DSM-IV-TR) will develop. The overarching goal of this project is to deliver an integrated system that will track physiological signals (heart rate and heart rate variability) and behavioral signals (sleep wake patterns) to detect chronic stress, hyperarousal, and insomnia during space missions. This project will deliver both the sensor hardware and signal processing software needed for the real-time data collection and integration with other behavioral health monitoring systems (e.g., Individualized Behavioral Health Monitoring Tool). The result of this project through Phase II will be a system that can be deployed in space analog environments for validation testing and ultimately deployed on ISS to assist astronauts and mission support personnel in the detection of astronaut chronic stress, hyperarousal, and insomnia. The critical need for an Individualized Stress Detection System has been identified as a priority outlined in the BHP IRP Gap BMED3. During Phase I, we will perform an assessment of heart rate sensor and actigraphy technologies and develop engineering requirements and detailed technical plans to be implemented during Phase II (Phase I TRL of 3).

The Individualized Stress Detection System can be adapted to meet an articulated need to track chronic stress and hyperarousal in occupations associated with high workload and high danger factor such as military operations and law enforcement. A tool that enables the systematic and efficient tracking of sympathetic activation in these occupational settings can provide a means to detect and address stress-related behavioral disorders and mental conditions at an early stage. Taking military operations as an example, there is evidence that stress-related behavioral disorders and mental conditions such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder have a high prevalence among soldiers. There is a present market opportunity to deliver an Individualized Stress Detection System to track changes in objectively-measured, chronic stress levels in soldiers during training, deployment, and post-deployment.

The Individualized Stress Detection System will meet the specific requirements of long duration exploration missions and provide feedback to astronauts, Op Psy Personnel and Flight Surgeons about stress levels and hyperarousal as well as aid in the selection of countermeasures. It will be designed to be unobtrusive and to require minimal training and crew effort to utilize. The resulting product will be primarily relevant to NASA's Behavioral Health and Performance (BHP) research gap BMED 3 (What are the optimal methods to detect and assess decrements in behavioral health during exploration missions?) but will also be relevant to gaps BMED1, BMED2, BMED6, BMED7, and BMED8. When validated, the Individualized Stress Detection System will be deployed on ISS to support crew behavioral health during training, mission and return to Earth.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — 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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