Sultan Al Neyadi is an Emirati astronaut and one of the first two astronauts from the United Arab Emirates, along with Hazza Al Mansouri. As part of Expedition 69, he's participating in the longest Arab space mission in history!
Sultan Al Neyadi was launched into orbit February 26th, 2023 aboard SpaceX's Crew-6 mission, which was also carrying Astroskin resupply payload. He's involved in hundreds of scientific activities including 19 major scientific experiments for the UAE.
One of these experiments involves measuring his vital signs in the ISS space environment using the Bio-Monitor Astroskin wearable sensors system.
What I'm wearing isn't just any shirt. The Bio-Monitor smart shirt & headband I have on tracks vital health stats such as heart rate, blood pressure & more offering insights into our body's response to microgravity. This technology can be a game-changer for remote healthcare.🩺🔬 pic.twitter.com/e6YHC975kK
— Sultan AlNeyadi (@Astro_Alneyadi) May 31, 2023
The Astroskin Bio-Monitor system first reached the International Space Station in December 2018, and has been commissionned by Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques in January 2019. The wearable vital signs monitoring system has since been used by astronauts to participate in one of the many ongoing research projects on human physiology in microgravity using the platform.
Astroskin is also used by hundreds of researchers on Earth to push the boundaries of medical knowledge.
Here's a list of space launches that carried Astroskin payloads as of June 2023:
Washington, D.C. - July 28th, 2022
The American Astronautical Society has awarded today the 2022 International Space Station Research Innovation Award for Human Health in Space to Hexoskin (Carré Technologies Inc.) for demonstrating a comprehensive physiology monitoring system for use in research and in situ crew care.
The Astroskin Bio-Monitor System was launched with SpaceX mission CRS-16 in December 2018 and was commissioned by Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques in January 2019. It is currently used in two clinical trials in microgravity to improve our understanding of cardiovascular health in space and physiological models of aging. These studies will help support human health during long-term space missions beyond Earth's orbit: to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
"This award celebrates 10 years of collaboration between Hexoskin and space agencies, and a technology that has a real impact on medical research in space and in our communities" said Pierre-Alexandre Fournier, CEO and co-founder of Hexoskin.
The Hexoskin space medicine team supports the operations of the Astroskin Bio-Monitor in space with the collaboration of the Canadian Space Agency, NASA, and other space agencies and subcontractors.
About Astroskin
Astroskin is the most advanced ambulatory vital signs monitoring platform for medical research in the world. Developed to qualify for space research, it can now benefit the most innovative research in Space and on Earth.
Astroskin offers state-of-the-art continuous real-time monitoring for 48 hours of blood pressure, pulse oximetry, 3-lead ECG, respiration, skin temperature, and activity.
The Astroskin garments are now available in a wide range of sizes for men & women. A large number of research organizations already use the Astroskin vital signs monitoring platform to collect data to answer their research questions.
About the ISS R&D Conference
The International Space Station Research and Development Conference (ISSRDC) brings together leaders from the commercial sector, U.S. government agencies, and academic communities to foster innovation and discovery onboard the International Space Station (ISS).
The conference is hosted by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, Inc., manager of the ISS National Laboratory; NASA; and the American Astronautical Society (AAS). ISSRDC showcases how the space station continues to provide a valuable platform for research and technology development that benefits humanity and enables a robust and sustainable market in low Earth orbit. Additionally, the ISSRDC marketplace expo allows companies to showcase how they are advancing opportunities in low Earth orbit and provides a venue to meet with researchers, stakeholders, and policymakers.
About the American Astronautical Society
The American Astronautical Society (AAS), established in 1899, is a major international organization of professional astronomers, astronomy educators, and amateur astronomers. Its membership of approximately 8,000 also includes physicists, geologists, engineers, and others whose interests lie within the broad spectrum of subjects now comprising the astronautical sciences.
The mission of the AAS is to enhance and share humanity’s scientific understanding of the universe as a diverse and inclusive astronautical community, which it achieves through publishing, meetings, science advocacy, education and outreach, and training and professional development.
Canadian Private Astronaut Mark Pathy and his crew members have been busy training at NASA Johnson Space Center ahead of the launch. The Axiom-1 mission was recently cleared by NASA and is set to blast off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in April. The mission is set to launch today on April 8, 2022.
You can watch the Launch Live here: https://youtu.be/5nLk_Vqp7nw
Ax-1 is the first mission involving an all-private crew of astronauts to reach the International Space Station. The mission will last 10 days with at least eight days are expected to be spent inside the ISS.
Mark Pathy, Axiom Space private Astronaut, will wear the Astroskin while staying on the ISS. He will conduct several research experiments including research on the effects of microgravity, chronic pain, and sleep disturbances. Mark will be joined on Ax-1 by fellow crew members Eytan Stibbe from Israel, Larry Connor, and Michael Lopez-Alegria from the United States.
A New Prospect for Astroskin and the Advancement of Space Research
Initially entirely funded by national space programs, space exploration is getting momentum with several private companies and individuals targeting Space as the next frontier. Hexoskin has collaborated with the Canadian Space Agency since 2012 on space projects, including the Astroskin (Bio Monitor).
Astroskin seamlessly integrates several sensors in one portable smart clothing to report continuously the vital signs remotely. Integrating a precise 3-lead ECG, and Body Inductance Plethysmography (RIP) sensors, Astroskin allows the ambulatory monitoring of the cardiac and lung function, previously only possible with bulky equipment previously available in laboratories. The Astroskin smart clothing also integrates a portable pulse oximeter for continuous blood oxygen and blood pressure monitoring, a skin temperature sensor, and a 3-axis activity sensor for activity and sleep monitoring.
The comfort and convenience of a smart textile explain why Astroskin is currently the health monitoring tool of choice for the ISS participating countries to conduct health research in microgravity and remotely monitor the vital signs of astronauts. More recently, we announced the upcoming mission of Astronaut Kellie Gerardi, set to conduct research with Astroskin on board a Virgin Galactic Flight. Since Astroskin is operational on board the ISS, it opens new opportunities for private astronauts and space companies to use Astroskin for their training and during spaceflight.
We are thrilled to see new missions such as the Ax-1 mission adding Astroskin to their toolkit to conduct meaningful research in Space and contribute like Mark Pathy to the advancement of science with important potential applications on earth and for future space exploration missions.
Washington, DC, USA (June 3rd, 2021): Virgin Galactic has announced a new contract to fly International Institute of Astronautical Sciences (IIAS) researcher Kellie Gerardi on a test flight of the company’s spaceflight system, during which Kellie will conduct experiments and test new healthcare technologies (including the Astroskin Bio-Monitor) while she's in space.
(Credits: Greentag89, Wikipedia)
The purpose of the research mission is to demonstrate and advance novel scientific research benefits and applications that the spaceflight system provides for human-tended payloads.
The mission will also demonstrate the potential of conducting human research in suborbital flight, building on the research and knowledge gained from a number of Kellie’s reduced gravity flight campaigns performed here on Earth, including with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
Virgin Galactic will be able to provide new benefits to the space science research community in the form of repeatability, affordability and quality of the weightless environment which have historically been barriers for many wanting to conduct human spaceflight research.
During the spaceflight, following the shutdown of the rocket motor, Kellie will unbuckle from her seat and undertake the actions necessary to complete each experiment during several minutes of weightlessness. Virgin Galactic will provide training and preparation so that she is fully equipped to carry out her job as mission specialist on this flight and provide on-site pre-flight support for each of the payload experiments.
Working with IIAS, NRC and CSA, Kellie has already operated each payload in reduced gravity flights and will be bringing that unique payload specialist experience to the research mission. The payloads will include bio-monitoring instrumentation, including the Astroskin Bio-Monitor wearable sensors system, developed by Hexoskin with the support of the Canadian Space Agency, that will measure the biological effects of launch, weightlessness, re-entry, and landing on spaceflight participants.
The Astroskin Bio-Monitor has been in operation in the International Space Station since 2019 and is used by space agencies (CSA, NASA, ESA), to monitor astronauts' vital signs in orbit. The Astroskin is also used on Earth by researchers of 5 continents for clinical research applications.
“This historic flight will demonstrate the role private space companies can play to advance our knowledge of human physiology in space, to prepare for future missions to the Moon and beyond” said Pierre-Alexandre Fournier, CEO and co-founder of Hexoskin. “Many private space companies are planning to use the Astroskin system for astronaut training and during spaceflight, because it’s already in operation in the International Space Station.”
For more information about Hexoskin's involvement in this test flight or the Astroskin wearable vital signs sensor system, please contact us by email (contact@hexoskin.com) or by phone at 1-888-887-2044.
Biomedical researcher Héloïse Auger will talk about Hexoskin's work in space medicine, Astroskin wearable sensors, and artificial intelligence for automated diagnostics at the Healthcare without Boundaries Colloquium this week on June 1-2. Registration is available on Eventbrite: Healthcare without Boundaries Colloquium
Hexoskin has been collaborating with the Canadian Space Agency since 2011 on the development of medical technologies that can be used for human spaceflight. Devices that can record health data passively, like the Astroskin, create an opportunity to develop autonomous medical systems using clinical rules and artificial intelligence to support long-term space missions beyond low Earth orbit.
This week, Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques is finalizing the setup of the Bio-Monitor, on the International Space Station!
This advanced smart shirt & health platform is designed to measure and record vital signs in microgravity environment. It will help keep an eye on astronauts' health and enable medical research in space by continuously measuring physiological data.
The Canadian Space Agency's Bio-Monitor is designed to easily send information to the ground, where scientists can monitor astronauts' physiology around the clock as they orbit the planet. Once operational it will be available for the next five years to all participating countries to the International Space Station.
To learn more visit the Astroskin page.
Source: Video - CSA/NASA
About Astroskin:
In September 2018, Hexoskin launched the Astroskin Research Platform to support various projects and health research on earth. The Astroskin is based on the Bio-Monitor and is further adapted to be used on earth. Astroskin offers an end-to-end platform to collect real-world evidence with space-grade garments that include sensors embedded in the fabric such as a 3-lead electrocardiogram, breathing sensors, pulse oximeter, blood pressure, skin temperature, and activity sensors.
The government of Canada confirmed today, Thursday, February 28, 2019, Canada's commitment to the Lunar Gateway space mission led by the United States, to give Canada's space program a new momentum. The Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau announced historic investments in Canada’s space program. The Government of Canada will invest $2.05 billion over 24 years for Canada's space program. It will help grow innovative Canadian companies of all sizes by supporting the development of new digital and artificial intelligence-based technologies, and by opening new markets for Canadian businesses (Prime Minister's Office).
This investment will also give Canadian astronauts the opportunity to participate in missions to space and our scientists a chance to conduct cutting-edge research that cannot be done on Earth.
At Hexoskin, since we started working with Canadian Space Agency in 2011, we designed medical monitoring systems with the goal of fulfilling the autonomy requirements of future missions to the Moon and Mars. The spillover effects of space exploration projects are applicable beyond human spaceflight and find applications on earth that benefit humanity.
The technologies we're developing will allow a greater number of people to access regular care, especially patients with chronic cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The software being developed for medical autonomous systems has the potential to deliver automated health services, affordable and accessible 24/7.
After today's announcement, we hope that Hexoskin will be able to contribute to future missions to the Moon, by supplying innovative medical technologies for crew members taking the trip.
This week, Canadian Space Agency Astronaut David Saint-Jacques deployed and tested for the first time in space a new Canadian technology: the Bio-Monitor System.
This advanced smart shirt is designed to measure and record vital signs in microgravity environment. It will help keep an eye on astronauts' health and enable medical research in space by continuously measuring physiological data.
The Canadian Space Agency's Bio-Monitor is designed to easily send information to the ground, where scientists can monitor astronauts' physiology around the clock as they orbit the planet. Once operational it will be available for the next five years to all participating countries to the International Space Station.
To learn more: http://asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/missions/expedition58/default.asp.
Photo: CSA/NASA
We are happy to invite you to our live webcast on December 4th, that will broadcast the Astroskin launch to Space aboard Space X Dragon Cargo vehicle. Before the launch, Hexoskin's co-founders will discuss the history of the development of the Bio-Monitor system as well as a few case applications in Space and on Earth.
The Astroskin system is based on the Bio-Monitor designed for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to monitor the astronauts’ health in space on the International Space Station (ISS). It will be operational in space and available for all ISS participating countries to conduct space research for the next five years.
LIVE WEBCAST:
Astroskin Launch to the ISS aboard SpaceX Dragon Cargo
December 4, 2018, at 1:25 PM (EST)** - via the Zoom Video Conferencing software
** In case of postponement of the launch, you will receive a notification
with a new broadcast schedule.
Speakers:
- Pierre-Alexandre Fournier, CEO & Co-Founder, Hexoskin
- Jean-François Roy, CTO & Co-Founder, Hexoskin
Guest Speaker:
- Professor Richard L. Hughson Ph.D., University of Waterloo
If you are unable to attend, you can still register and we will send you the recorded webcast by email afterward.
We look forward to your presence for this special event!
About Hexoskin
Since 2006, Hexoskin’s mission is to develop sensors and health data infrastructure to generate clinical grade real-world evidence. The Astroskin demonstrates once again Hexoskin’s leadership in providing the industry leading sensors, software, and AI to push further our understanding of human physiology on earth and in space.
Contact our team to order Astroskin
It is with a lot of excitement that Hexoskin announces today the availability of the Astroskin, a space-grade smart garment aiming to revolutionize the collection of real-world evidence for healthcare research on Earth and in Space!
The Astroskin system is based on the Bio-Monitor designed for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to monitor the astronauts’ health in space on the International Space Station (ISS). The CSA’s Bio-Monitor will be operational in space and available for all ISS participating countries to conduct space research for the next five years. It is scheduled to launch in space on December 4, 2018, aboard SpaceX’s Dragon cargo vehicle from Florida.
Aerospace, Security & Defense, Academic, Pharmaceuticals and Health Research organizations can now order the Astroskin system for their projects.
The Astroskin smart garments are available in a wide range of sizes for men & women. The machine-washable garments include state-of-the-art monitoring of blood pressure, pulse oximetry, 3-lead ECG, respiration, skin temperature, and activity sensors for 48 hours of continuous real-time monitoring. The end-to-end system includes iOS apps for iPhones & iPads, data synchronization software, and a web dashboard. Hexoskin provides custom software, data hosting, data science & AI services to suit the most stringent requirements of any organization.
Download Astroskin Product Specifications
«This system, which includes a smart shirt and dedicated tablet application, will help keep an eye on astronauts' health and enable new science by continuously measuring physiological data. [...] The system is designed to easily send information to the ground, where scientists can monitor the astronauts' health around the clock as they orbit the planet». (Canadian Space Agency. 2018)
Since 2006, Hexoskin’s mission is to develop sensors and health data infrastructure to generate clinical grade real-world evidence. The Astroskin demonstrates once again Hexoskin’s leadership in providing the industry leading sensors, software, and AI to push further our understanding of human physiology on earth and in space.
Contact our team to order Astroskin