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Automated Health Monitoring System For Space Residents Integrating Intelligent Nano Sensors And Wireless Body Area Network

Siddharth Tripathy (1)
Dr. Susmita Das(2)


(1) DPS Rourkela, India
(2) NIT Rourkela, India


Living in space habitat for a longer period is complex as the residents have to take enough precautions against deleterious physiological effects of microgravity, space radiation and cosmic rays. Continuous and reliable monitoring of important health parameters like heart muscle functioning, bone mineral density, radiation sickness (both carcinogenic and tissue damage), mental acuity monitoring are essential. Also based on the fully automated and reliable health monitoring, pharmaceutical preventions of all negative effects of space environment can be done timely and accurately.

Wireless body area sensor network with wearable health monitoring devices will detect abnormalities in human body. These monitoring devices consist of intelligent nano sensors integrated into bio-suit of space residents . Such devices can perform several critical functions like sensing, communications, decision making etc. For accuracy in monitoring, right body zones for sensor location, body comfort, adaptability of space bio-suits to different body sizes etc are important criteria. Also the wearable bio-suits should be able to communicate via wireless system to a computer controlled module located remotely. Additionally patient identification and location detection can be done easily from the remote server through a graphical user interface.

A multitier system architecture is suggested for the above purpose. The lowest level comprises a set of intelligent bio-nanosensors or nodes. Second level is the personal server (PDA, cell phone or a personal computer) and the third level involves a network of health care servers to which data or information is transferred for information processing. Dedicated nanosensors and data association algorithms must be developed to ensure the quality of medical diagnostics. According to the health condition of individual space resident appropriate diet, medication, exercises etc can be prescribed to maintain optimal physical and mental health conditions.



Presented at ISDC 2011 - Huntsville. Paper and presentation charts are not available.

Copyright National Space Society (NSS) 2011. Close this Window