Southwest Research Institute assistance to NASA in biomedical areas of the technology utilization program Final report, 1 Feb. 1969 - 24 Aug. 1970

Research progress in technology transfer by NASA Biomedical Application Tea

Applications of aerospace technology in the public sector

Current activities of the program to accelerate specific applications of space related technology in major public sector problem areas are summarized for the period 1 June 1971 through 30 November 1971. An overview of NASA technology, technology applications, and supporting activities are presented. Specific technology applications in biomedicine are reported including cancer detection, treatment and research; cardiovascular diseases, diagnosis, and treatment; medical instrumentation; kidney function disorders, treatment, and research; and rehabilitation medicine

Southwest Research Institute assistance to NASA in biomedical areas of the technology

Significant applications of aerospace technology were achieved. These applications include: a miniaturized, noninvasive system to telemeter electrocardiographic signals of heart transplant patients during their recuperative period as graded situations are introduced; and economical vital signs monitor for use in nursing homes and rehabilitation hospitals to indicate the onset of respiratory arrest; an implantable telemetry system to indicate the onset of the rejection phenomenon in animals undergoing cardiac transplants; an exceptionally accurate current proportional temperature controller for pollution studies; an automatic, atraumatic blood pressure measurement device; materials for protecting burned areas in contact with joint bender splints; a detector to signal the passage of animals by a given point during ecology studies; and special cushioning for use with below-knee amputees to protect the integrity of the skin at the stump/prosthesis interface

Southwest Research Institute assistance to NASA in biomedical areas of the technology utilization program

The activities are reported of the NASA Biomedical Applications Team at Southwest Research Institute between 25 August, 1972 and 15 November, 1973. The program background and methodology are discussed along with the technology applications, and biomedical community impacts

High-resolution seismocardiogram acquisition and analysis system

Several devices and measurement approaches have recently been developed to perform ballistocardiogram (BCG) and seismocardiogram (SCG) measurements. The development of a wireless acquisition system (hardware and software), incorporating a novel high-resolution micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer for SCG and BCG signals acquisition and data treatment is presented in this paper. A small accelerometer, with a sensitivity of up to 0.164 µs/µg and a noise density below 6.5 µg/ Hz is presented and used in a wireless acquisition system for BCG and SCG measurement applications. The wireless acquisition system also incorporates electrocardiogram (ECG) signals acquisition, and the developed software enables the real-time acquisition and visualization of SCG and ECG signals (sensor positioned on chest). It then calculates metrics related to cardiac performance as well as the correlation of data from previously performed sessions with echocardiogram (ECHO) parameters. A preliminarily clinical study of over 22 subjects (including healthy subjects and cardiovascular patients) was performed to test the capability of the developed system. Data correlation between this measurement system and echocardiogram exams is also performed. The high resolution of the MEMS accelerometer used provides a better signal for SCG wave recognition, enabling a more consistent study of the diagnostic capability of this technique in clinical analysis.This work is supported by FCT with the reference project UID/EEA/04436/2013, COMPETE 2020 with the code POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006941

Design and Develop a Non-Invasive Pulmonary Vibration Device for Secretion Drainage in Pediatric Patients with Pneumonia

The study aimed to develop a non-invasive pulmonary vibration device, specifically tailored for pediatric patients, to address a range of pulmonary conditions. The device employs a PID control system to ensure consistent and precise vibrations. The primary contribution of this research is the successful development, testing, and implementation of this innovative device. Utilizing technical components such as an Arduino, a vibration DC motor, and an ADXL335 accelerometer, the device was engineered to deliver stable and continuous vibrations even when subjected to external pressures or interactions with the patient. Controllers, including P, PI, PD, and PID types, were rigorously compared. The Ziegler-Nichols tuning technique was applied for meticulous evaluation of vibration control specifically within the context of this non-invasive pulmonary vibration device. Our findings revealed that the PID controller displayed superior accuracy in vibration control compared to P, PI, and PD controllers. Clinical trials involving pediatric patients showed that the PID-controlled device achieved treatment outcomes comparable to conventional methods. The device's precise control of vibration strength provides an added benefit, making it a well-tolerated, non-invasive treatment option for various pulmonary conditions in pediatric patients. Future research is necessary to assess the long-term effectiveness of the device and to facilitate its integration into standard clinical practice. In summary, this study represents a significant advancement in pediatric pulmonary care, demonstrating the critical role that PID control systems adapted for non-invasive pulmonary vibration devices can play in enhancing treatment precision and outcomes

Smart Sensors for Healthcare and Medical Applications

This book focuses on new sensing technologies, measurement techniques, and their applications in medicine and healthcare. Specifically, the book briefly describes the potential of smart sensors in the aforementioned applications, collecting 24 articles selected and published in the Special Issue “Smart Sensors for Healthcare and Medical Applications”. We proposed this topic, being aware of the pivotal role that smart sensors can play in the improvement of healthcare services in both acute and chronic conditions as well as in prevention for a healthy life and active aging. The articles selected in this book cover a variety of topics related to the design, validation, and application of smart sensors to healthcare

Assistive Technology and Biomechatronics Engineering

This Special Issue will focus on assistive technology (AT) to address biomechanical and control of movement issues in individuals with impaired health, whether as a result of disability, disease, or injury. All over the world, technologies are developed that make human life richer and more comfortable. However, there are people who are not able to benefit from these technologies. Research can include development of new assistive technology to promote more effective movement, the use of existing technology to assess and treat movement disorders, the use and effectiveness of virtual rehabilitation, or theoretical issues, such as modeling, which underlie the biomechanics or motor control of movement disorders. This Special Issue will also cover Internet of Things (IoT) sensing technology and nursing care robot applications that can be applied to new assistive technologies. IoT includes data, more specifically gathering them efficiently and using them to enable intelligence, control, and new applications

SAGA: Smart gateway for adaptive environments

The development of adaptive environments has the main objective of providing well-being to an individual, improving the environmental conditions of indoor environments and facilitating/automating any activity. In order to implement such systems, the use of devices capable of intercommunication and acquisition of environment-related parameters around the user is essential. Using wireless sensor networks, it is possible to monitor the various quality indices of indoor environments that can be used to develop strategies to improve quality of life of the users in personalized way. In this dissertation, a system based on a wireless sensor network that analyses and improves the environmental quality of indoor spaces, as well as evaluating the health status of an individual is presented. The system acquires and acts upon air quality and illumination quality-related parameters, as well as physiological data of a user, using sensor nodes and actuators distributed throughout the environment. Several wireless communication protocols have been implemented to enable intercommunication between the several elements present in the sensor network, such as actuators, sensor nodes and a coordinating / gateway node. Several warning mechanisms have been configured to alert the user to the presence of factors that may endanger their health, namely the presence of pollutants and thermal conditions that may trigger respiratory distress. In order to provide real-time system control including additional warning mechanisms, data analysis, a dedicated web application has been developed for this system. The user can control the environment according with his own needs and preferences through profiles configuration. The whole process of system development, hardware, software, experimental tests and contributions are included in this dissertation.A criação de ambientes adaptativos tem o principal objetivo de providenciar o bem-estar a um indivíduo, melhorar as condições do ambiente em seu redor e de facilitar/automatizar qualquer atividade. De forma a implementar tais sistemas, a utilização de dispositivos com capacidade de intercomunicação e de recolha de parâmetros relacionados com o ambiente em redor do utilizador é essencial. Com a utilização de redes de sensores sem fios, é possível monitorizar os diversos índices de qualidade de um ambiente interior e dessa forma melhorar a qualidade de vida. Nesta dissertação será apresentado um sistema baseado numa rede de sensores sem fios que permite analisar e melhorar a qualidade ambiental de espaços interiores e avaliar o estado de saúde de um indivíduo. O sistema adquire e atua sobre parâmetros relacionados com a qualidade do ar e qualidade de iluminação, assim como dados fisiológicos de um utilizador, através da utilização de nós de sensores e atuadores distribuídos pelo ambiente. Foram implementados diversos protocolos de comunicação sem fios para possibilitar a intercomunicação com outros elementos da rede, nomeadamente o nó coordenador/gateway. Foram configurados diversos mecanismos de alerta de forma a avisar o utilizador para a presença de fatores que possam colocar em risco a sua saúde, nomeadamente a presença de poluentes e condições térmicas que possam desencadear desconforto respiratório. De forma a proporcionar uma análise de dados em tempo real, controlo do sistema e dispor de mecanismos de alerta adicionais, foi desenvolvida uma aplicação Web dedicada a este sistema. Através desta, o utilizador poderá tornar o ambiente adaptável às suas características e de acordo com as suas preferências, através da configuração de perfis. Todo o processo de desenvolvimento do sistema, hardware, software, testes experimentais e contribuições serão incluídos nesta dissertação