NATIONAL SPACE BIOMEDICAL
RESEARCH INSTITUTE
RESEARCH INSTITUTE
| Objective Self Test to Measure Fatigue Fatigue from high workload and sleep loss is a common risk to astronauts. It is also a risk for military personnel and police, Homeland Security and emergency personnel responding to national disasters. Dr. David F. Dinges has developed a brief, valid, reliable, objective measure of fatigue for use by astronauts on the International Space Station, based on Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) performance. The 3-minute PVT Self Test can determine the extent to which fatigue from high workload, sleep loss and shifted work-rest schedules is affecting their ability to be vigilant, react quickly and avoid both lapses of attention and premature responses. Unaffected by aptitude or practice, PVT Self Test is administered on a laptop and tests the reaction times of users to signals that appear on the screen. The PVT has been extensively validated in experimental and field studies, and the Self Test algorithm, which provides feedback to astronauts on their performance levels, was developed from unique normative data on current astronauts. The test has wide application to any group that must operate remotely at high levels of alertness. Read News Release Listen to Podcast Read Project Summary NSBRI Investigator: David F. Dinges, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Portable Radiation Detectors NSBRI researchers are developing portable radiation detectors designed to provide real-time data during manned space missions. These detectors will be about the size of a deck of cards or cell phone, making them compact enough to be used as area monitors in the spacecraft or integrated into a spacesuit during space walks. The detectors must measure radiation in space that originates from solar flares, trapped particles and galactic cosmic rays. The measurements are required to estimate risk of injury to body tissue that could ultimately result in adverse health effects. The technologies could be adapted for homeland security applications relating to identification of materials used for improvised nuclear devices and to monitor exposure of first responders following a radiation-related terrorist event. Other uses include patient monitoring during radiation therapy, aiding the prevention of nuclear proliferation, and monitoring during high-altitude military or commercial aviation. Read News Release Listen to Podcast Three NSBRI projects are looking at portable radiation detectors: NSBRI Investigator: Thomas B. Borak, Ph.D., Colorado State University, Project Summary NSBRI Investigator: Vincent L. Pisacane, Ph.D., United States Naval Academy, Project Summary NSBRI Investigator: Tore Straume, Ph.D., NASA Ames Research Center, Project Summary |
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