Overview:
NASA is seeking a continuous monitoring medical device with capabilities to provide real-time continuous measurements of blood pressure or other physiological parameters to predict and alert for potential syncope (temporary loss of consciousness). Ideal devices will be non-invasive, comfortable for extended wear (8+ hours), and designed to accommodate the wearer’s natural movements and daily activities without restriction. The hands need to be free to work on a computer or other similar capability.
Background:
Crewmembers aboard the International Space Station (ISS) experience a prolonged headward fluid shift caused by weightlessness. This headward fluid shift may contribute to physiological detriments. Potential countermeasures that reverse this fluid shift require continuous biomedical monitoring to alert astronauts of pre-syncope (pre-fainting) or cerebrovascular instability.
Constraints:
Biomedical devices of interest must:
- Provide continuous non-invasive monitoring
- Provide real-time signal tracking / trends
- Have capabilities to measure arterial blood pressure and symptoms such as nausea, clammy skin, profuse sweating, pallor, light-headedness, dizziness, or tingling
- Provide precise tracking for critical care-level monitoring
- Be comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, and not interfere with nominal movements or day-to-day tasks (e.g., typing or using a tablet)
- Offer non-cloud storage options (local storage)
Additional criteria of interest (nice to have):
- Ability to swap or extend battery life if required
Possible Solution Areas:
- Wearables
- Smart Clothing with Embedded Sensors
- Personal Health Monitoring Devices
- Biometric Patches
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