A NEW METHOD FOR RESPIRATORY MONITORING DURING SPACE FLIGHT

RESPIRATORY GAS ANALYSIS IS A VITAL COMPONENT OF PHYSIOLOGICAL MONITORING OF BOTH HUMANS AND ANIMALS DURING EXTENDED SPACE FLIGHT, SINCE IT ALLOWS ONE TO ASSESS NON-INVASIVELY BOTH PULMONARY AND CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH. WHAT IS PROPOSED HERE IS AN INNOVATIVE METHOD OF RAPID MULTI-GAS ANALYSIS WHICH WILL LEAD TO A RUGGED AND COMPACT RESPIRATORY MONITOR. OUR TECHNIQUE IS BASED ON THE MEASUREMENT OF THE INTENSITY OF THE EMISSION OF SELECTED SPECTRAL LINES FROM A GLOW DISCHARGE. THE TECHNICAL OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROPOSAL ARE TO DEVELOP A SUITABLE GLOW DISCHARGE TUBE AND TO BUILD AND TEST A PROTOTYPE GAS ANALYZER WITH THIS DISCHARGE TUBE AS ITS BASIC TRANSDUCER. THE DISCHARGE TUBE DESIGNS WILL INCLUDE VARIOUS GEOMETRIES AND CATHODE MATERIALS SELECTED TO MINIMIZE CATHODE SPUTTERING. THE TESTING OF THE COMPLETE PROTOTYPE ANALYZER WILL INCLUDE MEASUREMENT OF RANGE, LINEARITY, SIGNAL STRENGTH, NOISE, REPEATABILITY, AND RESPONSE TIME. IN PHASEII, THE ADDITION OF A FLOW MODULE AND DISPLAY MONITOR, ALONGWITH APPROPRIATE MINIATURIZATION, WILL LEAD TO A COMPLETE AND COMPACT RESPIRATORY MONITORING PACKAGE. IN ADDITION TO ITS USE IN THE SPACE STATION, THE POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS OF THIS ANALYZER INCLUDE HOSPITAL BEDSIDE MONITORING, MOBILE STRESS AND EXERCISE TESTING, ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING, AND PROCESS CONTROL.