University  of Waterloo
Coded  Hemodynamic Imaging to Enhance Astronaut Health — PI: Dr. Richard  L. Hughson. Several gaps in knowledge  are currently limiting human space exploration beyond low Earth orbit. In order  to send humans safely on long-duration spaceflights and exploration missions, a  full characterization of risks, and better tools to monitor health of astronauts,  including effects of countermeasures, will be required. This project aims to fully develop a technology to monitor  cardiovascular health of astronauts with zero effort. Coded Hemodynamic Imaging  is a novel, non-contact method of tracking measures of human health and  well-being by pairing machine learning algorithms with wide-field imaging by a  camera system capable of processing light from the visible and near-infrared  spectra. In addition to facilitating future space exploration, this technology  has potential applications to a wide range of human health conditions on Earth  which could benefit from zero-effort, continuous monitoring of cardiovascular  health.