Ensuring the health, safety, and effective performance of astronauts
is critical to the human exploration of space. NASA Glenn Research
Center’s Human Research Program (HRP) plays a vital role in
providing solutions to critical problems that place human exploration
missions and their crews at risk. Glenn’s efforts are accomplished
in support of the Johnson Space Center, which leads NASA’s Human
Research Program. Glenn’s efforts, which began in October 2001,
are currently focused on three projects: Exercise Countermeasures,
Digital Astronaut, and Exploration Medical Capability.
The
Exercise Countermeasures Project provides optimized and
validated exercise protocols and equipment designs that maximize
benefits to the body, minimize crew time required for exercise,
and minimize volume and mass requirements for exercise hardware.
The Digital Astronaut
Project develops
computational models of physiological systems affected by spaceflight
and physiological simulations that help quantify health, safety and
performance risks.
The Exploration
Medical Capability Project develops
requirements and designs for clinical medical hardware useable by
a non-expert crew and a probabilistic risk analysis model of health
care delivery during exploration missions.
Program Highlights
A few of the significant recent accomplishments from Glenn’s
Human Research Program are highlighted below.
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Enhanced Zero-g Locomotion
Simulator
(eZLS) |
The Glenn Exercise Countermeasures Laboratory was recently completed.
This facility provides the capability for simulating space flight
(zero gravity) and surface (fractional gravity) exercise to identify
better methods for preserving the health and safety of astronauts
during future exploration missions. Mitigating bone loss and muscle
atrophy, which are serious concerns for long duration spaceflight,
are the primary goals of this facility. The enhanced Zero-gravity
Locomotion Simulator (eZLS) is a key part of this laboratory. It was
designed to allow the development and validation of advanced exercise
countermeasure devices, requirements, and exercise prescriptions.
This innovative facility has garnered wide acceptance by the NASA
exercise community and has resulted in a smaller version called the
standalone Zero-gravity Locomotion Simulator (sZLS). The sZLS was
constructed for the Johnson Space Center and placed in operation at
the University of Texas Medical Branch Bed Rest Facility. It will
be used for complementary exercise investigations including bed rest
studies.
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Prototype Harness |
During initial testing, the performance of the eZLS was shown to
be very similar to the treadmill on the International Space Station
(ISS). The eZLS has already been used to improve the design of a new
ISS treadmill as well as the harness that is utilized to load the
astronauts during exercise. The improved harness is a key factor in
deriving the benefits of the exercise by ensuring that the exercise
device provides an appropriate level of body loading while reducing
the discomfort astronauts experience while running on the treadmill.
Preliminary test results for a prototype harness developed by the
Cleveland Clinic in partnership with Glenn have been very positive.
As a result, the new harness will soon be tested on the ISS. Glenn’s
collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic regarding exercise countermeasures
has been recognized by the Human Research Program as a model partnership.
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IMM: Fracture Risk |
Because significant changes to the human body occur in a low gravity
environment, Glenn has initiated the development of computational
tools for integrative physiological modeling of the cardiovascular,
neurovestibular and renal systems. These tools will be used to quantify
normal human physiology in a space environment, eliminate knowledge
gaps, aid in research investment decisions, and provide timely input
for mission architecture and operations decisions. An integrated medical
model is also under development to assess the risk of the crew experiencing
bone fracture and renal stone formation. Preliminary results have
been obtained for assessment of bone fracture risk for astronauts.
Analyses of concepts for intravenous fluid generation and drug mixing
in a microgravity environment have been completed. Tests of drug mixing
techniques have been conducted on NASA’s C-9 aircraft,
which can produce microgravity conditions. Future plans include the
design, construction and demonstration of a device for flight demonstration
on the ISS in 2010. Development and testing of sensors and instrumentation
is continuing for exercise and health monitoring.
Within the medical community in Northeast Ohio, new research at the
Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Space Medicine has been funded
to include the following: a novel bedrest simulation of lunar exploration,
telesurgical treatment of in-flight renal stones using a novel endoscopic
guidance system, and a novel approach for monitoring site-specific
bone loss in microgravity. A new effort is underway at University
Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University for collaboration in
radiation modeling and dosimetry to address the negative effects of
radiation and other spaceflight stressors. The effect of radiation
on the body during long duration missions is a major health concern
for astronauts.
Strategic Partnerships Update
Glenn partners extensively with other organizations. Some of the key
partnerships are described below.
The John Glenn Biomedical Engineering
Consortium is a collaborative effort between Glenn, Case Western
Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic, the National Center for Space
Exploration Research, and the University Hospitals of Cleveland to perform
interdisciplinary research, leveraging Glenn expertise in fluid physics
and sensor technology to mitigate critical risks to crew health, safety
and performance.
Glenn is collaborating with the Cleveland Clinic’s Center
for Space Medicine . The Center for Space Medicine provides
a focal point for ongoing space-related medical research at the Cleveland
Clinic. The collaboration provides Glenn researchers access to a network
of more than 2000 physicians and scientists employed by the Cleveland
Clinic. It also provides the Clinic access to Glenn’s preeminent
physical science expertise with the goal of contributing to solutions
for medical problems experienced by humans during long duration space
flight.
A new opportunity
for collaboration is being pursued between Glenn and the Air Force Research Laboratory at the Wright Patterson Air
Force Base as a result of the Department of Defense Realignment
and Closure (BRAC) decisions, establishing the Air Force Institute
for Aerospace Medicine at Wright Patterson. Several areas
of mutual interest have been identified for continued interaction
and collaboration. In addition to broad areas of collaboration,
10 specific areas of mutual interest have been identified to date.
Glenn is collaborating with BioEnterprise ,
a business formation, recruitment, and acceleration initiative designed
to grow bioscience companies. The Space Act Agreement between Glenn
and BioEnterprise enables collaborative efforts to further the development
and commercialization of life science-related technologies in Northeast
Ohio. It allows NASA access to BioEnterprise clients where technologies
may be of benefit to NASA missions.
Other collaborations have included a National Institute of Health
Interagency Agreement for technology transfer and a cooperative
agreement with the University of Michigan for the NASA Bioscience
and Engineering Institute.
Health Care on Earth and Commercialization
Glenn’s Human Research Program has significant application to
health care on Earth and the potential for commercialization of products
to support Ohio’s economic development in the biosciences. Some
examples are described below.
A new commercial product called the vMetrics System was recently
announced by ZIN Medical Inc., a company jointly owned by ZIN Medical
and the Cleveland Clinic. This system provides real-time monitoring
of patients through a compact, wireless device and can be used in
space, military and commercial applications. The technology was
developed under a Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) project
managed by Glenn that included funding support from the John Glenn
Biomedical Engineering Consortium. The first commercial application
is supporting the atrial fibrillation market.
A new initiative has been launched under the Ohio Technology Cluster
Commercialization Program through the Glenn Alliance for Technology
Exchange team. The initiative involves the application of biocompatible
nanoporous filters for biomedical purposes, which could revolutionize
the standard of care for kidney disease. The filter design is based,
in part, on work from a John Glenn Biomedical Engineering Consortium
project. Additional funding has just been awarded under the NASA
Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program.
Finally, an assessment was recently completed to identify projects
from Glenn’s Human Research Program with applicability to
health care on Earth and the potential for commercialization. In
addition to the efforts described above, projects identified include
the following:
-
Project Rescue – a method and system for remotely monitoring
in real-time, via a web interface, EKG and other vital statistics
of patients without constraining their movement
- Blood Glucose Monitor – a method and apparatus for the
non-invasive measurements of blood-glucose levels
- Cataract and Ocular Sensor – a method and apparatus for
determining the physical characteristics of the lens and other
ocular tissue
- Portable
Unit for Metabolic Analysis (PUMA) – system that measures
oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production to quantify the
level of exercise and state of fitness
Summary
Glenn’s Human Research Program is playing a critical role in
ensuring the health, safety and effective performance of astronauts.
Glenn has actively sought and established strategic collaborations
with other organizations in Ohio and the surrounding region to provide
a preeminent team to support the NASA missions. In addition to addressing
NASA mission needs, Glenn’s Human Research Program has strong
relevance and applicability to health care needs on Earth with significant
potential for commercialization of products and development of new
companies to enhance Ohio’s economic development in the biosciences. |