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Hexoskin Receives 2022 International Space Station Research Innovation Award for Human Health in Space from American Astronautical Society
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.
Hexoskin Attending the Ontario Exercise Physiology 2022 Conference
The Hexoskin Team is attending the Ontario Exercise Physiology 2022 conference hosted by the University of Waterloo.
The Ontario Exercise Physiology conference is a student-focused meeting held annually. The conference attracts faculty and students from across Ontario and beyond, providing an opportunity for trainees to present their research, network with students and faculty, and learn about the exciting research being conducted across Ontario.
Participants are invited to visit the Hexoskin boot to exchange about their research and see the Hexoskin & Astroskin platforms in action with Real-Time Metrics.
Hexoskin is very proud to sponsor the event. Over the years several researchers and students from University of Waterloo have leveraged the Hexoskin products and solutions for their research. Here's a list of the published results from the University of Waterloo.
References & Publications from the University of Waterloo
Tracking Astronaut Physical Activity and Cardiorespiratory Responses with the Bio-Monitor Sensor Shirt
Mastrandrea, C. et al. The FASEB Journal, Volume 35, Issue S1, Special Issue: Experimental Biology 2021 Meeting Abstract, 2021.
Temporal Prediction of Oxygen Uptake Dynamics from Wearable Sensors During Low-, Moderate-, and Heavy-intensity Exercise
Amelard, R. et al. Nature Partner Journals (NPJ) Digital Medicine, 4.1: 1-8, 2021.
Remote Health Monitoring System for Bedbound Patients
Alizadeh, M. et al. IEEE 20th International Conference on Bioinformatics and Bioengineering (BIBE), IEEE, 2020.
Wearable Sensor Technology and Machine Learning for Prediction of Oxygen Uptake and Extraction of Kinetics During Moderate and Heavy Intensity Exercise
Hedge, E.T. Master's Thesis of the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Waterloo, 2020.
Remote Monitoring of Human Vital Signs using mm-Wave FMCW Radar
Alizadeh, M. et al. IEEE Access, vol. 7, pp. 54958-54968, 2019.
Remote Vital Signs Monitoring using a mm-wave FMCW Radar
Alizadeh, M. Master’s thesis of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo, 2019.
Extracting Aerobic System Dynamics During Unsupervised Activities of Daily Living Using Wearable Sensor Machine Learning Models
Beltrame, T. et al. Journal of Applied Physiology, 124(2), p. 473-481, 2018.
Aerobic System Analysis Based on Oxygen Uptake and Hip Acceleration During Random Over-Ground Walking Activities
Beltrame, T. et al. American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 312(1), p. R93–R100, 2017.
Prediction of Oxygen Uptake and Its Dynamics by Wearable Sensors During Activities of Daily Living
Beltrame, T. et al. Doctoral thesis of the Department of Kinesiology, University of Waterloo, 2016.
Prediction of Oxygen Uptake Dynamics by Machine Learning Analysis of Wearable Sensors during Activities of Daily Living
Beltrame, T. et al. Scientific Reports. 7, p. 45738, 2017.
Validation of the Hexoskin Wearable Vest During Lying, Sitting, Standing and Walking Activities
Villar, R. et al. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 40(10), p. 1019-24, 2015.
We look forward to seeing more results and projects being published in the coming years!
Many universities, research institutes, and companies are leveraging the Hexoskin and Astroskin platforms to conduct their research and projects and generate results.
Hexoskin has developed tailored programs for researchers and professionals to support them in the planning of their project. Contact our team today to start planning your next project and get a quote with perks and discounts from our Hexoskin+ programs for professionals, academic researchers, and students.
Axiom-1 Mission Ready to Blast Off!
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.
Bertrand Nepveu joins Hexoskin as investor and advisor!
We're very excited to have Bertrand Nepveu join Hexoskin as a new investor and advisor!
Bertrand is a well-known Montreal tech veteran. He was founder and CEO at virtual and augmented reality startup Vrvana until he sold it to Apple in 2017. Bertrand is also GP at Triptyq Capital and is involved with many other startups and venture funds in the US and Canada.
Hexoskin solves the problem of monitoring vital signs accurately over the long term, to keep patients at home and healthy.
Hexoskin's biometric garments and connected health platform offer an end to end solution, from physiological data collection to data analytics and EHR integration. Hexoskin is the only clinically validated system that offers a non-invasive solution to continuously monitor the cardio-respiratory function of patients.
Hexoskin's current products serve the clinical research, defense, and aerospace markets. Its customers, including NASA, DOD, Yale Health, Boston Children's, and hundreds of researchers and hospitals, have published over 150 scientific papers with Hexoskin data. Hexoskin smart shirts are used in pharmaceutical clinical trials, and its technology has been part of the International Space Station since 2018
Hexoskin has been selected by Mayo Clinic in 2019 for their MedTech accelerator program, and is currently implementing remote patient monitoring in cardiology and pulmonology with health systems in the US and Canada. Hexoskin expects to get FDA clearance for its remote patient monitoring solution in 2022.
Hexoskin Presenting at the Emerging Medtech Summit
Pierre-Alexandre Fournier, CEO of Hexoskin was selected as an Innovation Leader for the #LSIUSA22 Emerging Medtech Summit. Hexoskin's CEO will present at the event on March 15-18, 2022, and announce exciting new products and partnerships aimed to help patients have better access to healthcare.
Pierre-Alexandre has been involved in health sensor development and artificial intelligence projects for over 15 years and advises many public and private organizations on these topics in the US, Canada and Europe. Pierre-Alexandre is also an advocate for transparency in healthcare, patient empowerment, and healthcare innovation through design.
Hexoskin Smart Garments utilize embedded textile sensors to continuously monitor vital signs. Hexoskin smart clothing is capable of monitoring cardiac, pulmonary, activity, and sleep digital biomarkers.
The Emerging Medtech Summit will feature 150 vetted presenting companies, panel sessions, 1:1 meetings, and networking opportunities.
Join us on March 30th for a New Astroskin Live Event!
The Astroskin Vital Signs Monitoring Platform is an advanced smart clothing used in Space and on Earth for cutting-edge research and projects. Join us live on March 30th at 11:00 am EDT, and meet our speakers to learn more about current and future projects with Astroskin.
Astroskin set to be used in Space by Private Astronaut Mark Pathy
Astroskin will soon be getting another ride to Space, thanks to Canadian Private Astronaut Mark Pathy and the first-ever private mission to the ISS, Ax-1, organized by Axiom Space. The Ax-1 space mission is set to send a crew of four private astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) on board a SpaceX Crew Dragon. Set to launch in April 2022, Ax-1 is a 10-day mission where at least eight days will be spent inside the ISS to conduct several research experiments including research on the effects of microgravity, chronic pain, and sleep disturbances. Mark will be joined on Ax1 by fellow crew members Eytan Stibbe from Israel, Larry Connor, and Michael Lopez-Alegria from the United States.
M. Pathy, aged 52, is the CEO and founder of the investment firm MAVRIK CORP. He is recognized in Montreal, the city where he resides, to support several causes as a philanthropist. Married and father of three children, Mark Pathy decided to leverage his participation in this mission to collaborate with the Canadian Space Agencies to conduct experiments in microgravity that are a priority for children’s and universities. 
As a Mission Specialist, he will be taking part in a total of 12 science research projects in partnership with six Canadian universities and their investigators, including clinician-researchers at The Montreal Children’s Hospital and Child Health Research at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre and become the first private Astronaut to wear Astroskin on board the International Space Station. Pathy will be funding himself the research conducted in Space and contribute to generating results and potential applications on earth that would have taken more time to be realized under the current Canadian space program.
Going to space involves months of planning. Canadian Private Astronaut Mark Pathy has been busy training at NASA Johnson Space Center ahead of the launch.
Pathy and his crew already took part in training exercises and will now embark on seventeen weeks of training to get ready for the mission. We look forward to following him and the Ax-1 mission in the coming weeks and months.
AGE-WELL Webinar - Monitoring Heart and Lung Health Using Innovative Technologies in 2022
Heart disease affects 1.3 million Canadians. There are technologies that can help patients receive better care at home, and better manage their health and symptoms.
Our Hexoskin CEO, Pierre-Alexandre Fournier was invited by AGE-WELL to discuss about innovative monitoring solutions for cardiac and pulmonary diseases, like Hexoskin Smart Clothing, that can help patients in managing and monitoring their health condition.
You can watch the event here.
Make sure to subscribe to our Hexoskin Newsletter to receive the latest news and early invitations to our upcoming events!
2021: A Year in Review
2021 is finally behind us and our team took some time to look back and reflect on what was accomplished by our community of researchers & developers. Last year was also a year of tremendous growth for our Hexoskin and Astroskin solutions with our professional clients. We'd like to present you with a few publications and case studies that got our attention as we look forward to a new chapter for Hexoskin in 2022.
In this study, Hexoskin smart garments were worn by 16 firefighters to track their psychophysiological responses, specifically HR and HRV, during rescue simulations performed under various conditions (day vs night, and haptic vs audio alarm) at the University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comte. Their results showed that night rescue interventions resulted in significantly higher psychophysiological responses and lower self-confidence than day rescue interventions, and the type of alarm had little effect on psychophysiological responses.
In this study, the researchers at the University of Salzburg evaluated Hexoskin’s RIP sensors with a custom algorithm versus a reference spirometry system to determine the concurrent validity in detecting flow reversals (FR) and breathing pattern (BP). Their algorithm successfully determined 99% of FR, suggesting that the proposed system is valid and practically useful for BP assessments in the field, specifically during exercise and running.
In this study, the team at the University of Alberta recruited six people with neuromuscular conditions. The participants wore the Hexoskin smart shirts and engaged in a 15-week recreational singing and dancing program to evaluate its safety and meaningfulness on quality of life. Overall, they showed improvements in respiratory function along with speech, swallowing, strength, leisure, and relationships, demonstrating that recreational singing and dancing is a safe activity to improve physical and social quality of life for people with neuromuscular disorders.
Human activity recognition (HAR) plays an important role in remote health monitoring and emergency notification. This study is a collaboration between teams from research institutions based in Montreal (Canada) and Cartage (Tunisia) which evaluates a method for classifying acceleration data using an efficient classifier combination of feature engineering-based and learning-based representation. The result yields a 90% recognition rate and performs significantly better than individual classifiers.
This team from Peter L. Reichertz at the Institute for Medical Informatics, is working on a lightweight IoT platform, where ECG metrics from Hexoskin were sent to an edge device and analyzed using deep learning models for binary end-to-end classification.
The performance on 5G showed an average transmission latency of 110ms, data corruption in 0.07% of samples, and deep learning inference of about 170ms, suggesting that 5G networks with edge devices provide a suitable infrastructure for continuous remote patient monitoring.
Looking Forward to A Bright 2022
Choosing is hard and there are many more publications and use cases that deserve attention. That’s why our Publication page provides a full list of the publications from our community.
The entire Hexoskin Team would like to congratulate our Hexoskin community that continues to push the boundaries of science and innovation despite the challenges we face due to the global pandemic.
Looking forward to the upcoming months, we are preparing a slate of events aimed to shine a light on some of the groundbreaking research and projects performed with Hexoskin & Astroskin. Make sure to subscribe to our Hexoskin Newsletter to receive our news and events!
