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 More »