Short Title: CAPT PICARD - SBIR2

Responsible HRP Element: Human Factors and Behavioral Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

Behavioral Health & Performance (BHP) Element

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:

Task design and related hardware and software impose cognitive and physical demands on an operator, and thus drive the workload associated with a task. Astronauts on long-duration missions will potentially have long periods of low workload and short bursts of high workload combined with reduced workload capacity that need to be taken into account for system and mission design. Both high task demand and reduced workload capacity at any phase of a flight may lead to performance errors, which could potentially compromise mission objectives, and consequently the mission. An unobtrusive workload tool is needed during system development to ensure that the use of the system is associated with acceptable workload, as well as during real-time use of systems, to drive schedule modifications or to adapt interfaces based on the current workload the astronaut is experiencing.

1. Based on the current state of the art and recommendations from the Phase1 effort develop a workload tool prototype to measure, assess, and predict astronaut workload unobtrusively.
2. Test and validate the tool. The technology should also be predictive of astronaut workload during long-duration operations.

The task will contribute to gap closure by providing an unobtrusive workload measurement tool for long-duration missions.

Short Title: Performance, Workload, and Situation Awareness

Responsible HRP Element: Human Factors and Behavioral Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:

Study Aim:  Characterize the behavioral health and performance effects of a simulated Long Duration Exploration Mission (LDEM) in HERA on flight performance, workload, and situation awareness during representative spaceflight operational tasks.

A series of experiments will be conducted using the simulated spaceflight scenarios and real-time metrics engine to quantify performance, workload, and situation awareness in each task during the HERA mission. Analysis will be conducted for each scenario and meta-analysis across scenarios will be conducted to determine commonalities and to determine absolute performance thresholds. These metrics will also be correlated to data collected as part of the BHP Standardized Measures, including sleep/wake cycle, actigraphy, and a cognitive battery.

Deliverables include the analysis of data collected during these HERA missions, in the form of publishable research results, that can be directly used to address the HRR Risks and Gaps.

Short Title: Reaction Self Test (Cognitive Performance/PVT)

Responsible HRP Element: Human Factors and Behavioral Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Directed

Aims:

1) To evaluate the extent to which PVT Self Test performance of astronauts is sensitive to fatigue from sleep loss and circadian disruption during ISS missions. This will include the following conditions evaluated individually and in aggregate: i) extended wake duration between 16 hours; ii) sleep restriction defined as total sleep time >0 and <6 hours per 24-hour period; and iii) circadian perturbation associated with night work and slam shifting.

2) To evaluate the extent to which PVT Self Test performance of astronauts is sensitive to fatigue from work intensity during ISS missions. This will include the following conditions evaluated individually and in aggregate: i) extend work durations up to 16 hours per day; ii) more than 6 consecutive work days without a day off for rest; and iii) work requiring extravehicular activity (EVA).

3) To evaluate the extent to which PVT Self Test performance of astronauts declines with time in mission.

4) To explore the extent to which PVT Self Test performance of astronauts will be sensitive to the carry-over effects of medications for sleep (e.g., zolpidem, ramelteon, etc.) on ISS.

5) To evaluate the extent to which PVT Self Test performance feedback (via a graphical interface) is perceived by ISS astronauts as a useful tool for assessing performance capability. This will be addressed throughout the mission by astronaut ratings.

Short Title: Reaction Self-Test ISS-12

Responsible HRP Element: Human Factors and Behavioral Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Directed

Aims:
The purpose of this task is to provide objective data to help characterize fatigue and workload related effects over a one-year long duration spaceflight mission. The precursor to this study is an ISS study evaluating Reaction Self Test with an N of 24, 4- to 6-month flyers.

BHP is working through the Multilateral Human Research Panel for Exploration (MHRPE) to collaborate with the Russian Space Agency on this one-year ISS study.

Short Title: Sleep and Performance

Responsible HRP Element: Human Factors and Behavioral Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI)

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:

The intent of this task is to evaluate sleep data from the largest, most systematic assessment of sleep in space (Barger et al., 2014), relative to performance outcomes in space, such as cognitive performance and operational performance (if accessible).

Short Title: Team/Sleep Prelim Lit Review

Responsible HRP Element: Human Factors and Behavioral Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Directed

Aims:
This task will consist of a preliminary literature review, which should examine existing knowledge related to the Sleep Risk and the impact on teams and highlight any gaps or limitations in the literature. The PI will be conducting a preliminary literature review to identify the most important factors related to sleep and circadian factors and team outcomes.

Short Title: Cognitive Performance/Stress

Responsible HRP Element: Behavioral Health and Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Directed

Aims:

1. Test the usefulness of three brief validated software-based cognitive performance tests (PVT SelfTest, Digit Symbol Substitution Test and the Descending Subtraction Test), which will collectively be known as the Penn Neurobehavioral Test Battery. Data will be collected on crew members and mission support personnel. Findings from this aim will also inform Sleep1 and Bmed3 (development and validation of measurement tools).

2. Acquire saliva samples to assay for cortisol levels, as a physiological measure of stress. Salivary cortisol data will be collected on crew members and mission support personnel.

3. Acquire video of the face for assessing feasibility of optical computer recognition using the built in webcam in the laptop used for the cognitive performance tests. Findings from this aim will also inform Bmed (development and validation of methods to detect behavioral health decrements).

Short Title: Individualized Stress Detection

Responsible HRP Element: Behavioral Health and Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:

Develop a prototype software measure of stress based on physiological outcomes.

Given the extended duration of future missions and the isolated, extreme, and confined environments, there is the possibility that stress-related behavioral conditions and mental disorders (DSM-IV-TR) will develop. The overarching goal of this project is to deliver an integrated system that will track physiological signals (heart rate and heart rate variability) and behavioral signals (sleep wake patterns) to detect chronic stress, hyperarousal, and insomnia during space missions. This project will deliver both the sensor hardware and signal processing software needed for the real-time data collection and integration with other behavioral health monitoring systems (e.g., Individualized Fatigue Meter and Individualized Behavioral Health Meter).

This is an SBIR Phase 2 project and the third and final component of the Behavioral Health and Performance Dashboard Software (BHP-DS)

Short Title: Workload and Scheduling LDM RR

Responsible HRP Element: Behavioral Health and Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

Space Human Factors Habitability (SHFH) Element

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:

This task will inform specific future research needs (if any) based on a thorough evidence review and an operational assessment on workload models, and fatigue models. Results could help inform whether the integration of various models is feasible, and how existing models supported by NASA and the military can support operations. The task contributes to gap closure by potentially yielding an enhanced mitigation strategy for future missions.

Short Title: Biomathematical model validation

Responsible HRP Element: Human Factors and Behavioral Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI)

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Directed

Aims:

The purpose of this task is to validate model predictions against laboratory and field data.

Short Title: Operational Fatigue Modeling Validation

Responsible HRP Element: Human Factors and Behavioral Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:

Software using mathematical models can help inform assessments related to work-rest schedules and implementation of fatigue countermeasures.  Branches of the military, for example, use the Sleep, Activity, Fatigue and Task Effectiveness (SAFTE) model to predict performance effectiveness relative to sleep-wake history.  Other relevant modeling efforts have included the development of the Circadian Performance Simulation Software (CPSS) by Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the Individualized Fatigue Meter by Pulsar Informatics.  NASA, the National Space Biomedical Research Institute, and other agencies have supported the development of such software solutions to provide predictions of performance capability relative to sleep-wake history.   Software solutions can inform real-time task scheduling decisions and aid implementation of countermeasures such as caffeine and lighting – especially important, given that the proper scheduling of such countermeasures is essential to their effectiveness.

 

Mathematical models can therefore be used operationally in future space exploration missions, to inform the scheduling of mission-related tasks and the timing of fatigue-related countermeasures. This topic is soliciting proposals to evaluate the use of such a tool, as a means through which autonomous crews in a simulated spaceflight mission can appropriately implement fatigue-related countermeasures, and for understanding how a crew medical officer (who would be a participant in the study) and/or an individual crewmember will use the information to make countermeasure recommendations and real-time scheduling changes.

This task seeks to assess, in an operational environment (the Habitat Exploration Research Analog, or HERA, at Johnson Space Center), the acceptability, usability, and overall feasibility of sleep-wake models and associated software, to make informed decisions for long-duration space exploration missions (LDEMs), when ground support will be minimized and crews will function more autonomously.

Short Title: Smart Sleep Mask

Responsible HRP Element: Human Factors and Behavioral Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI)

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:
The primary objective for LumosTech is to develop and commercialize the LumosTech smart sleep mask, a wearable device to monitor an individual’s circadian phase and rapidly realign the circadian rhythm of the user to their local environment. With this technology, LumosTech's goal is to help astronauts optimize their sleep schedules in the absence of natural light, assist ground crew adjusting to work-related sleep changes, and increase alertness after wake-up.

This is an NSBRI Industry Forum/SMARTCAP Award.

Short Title: Transdermal Vagal Nerve Stimulation

Responsible HRP Element: Human Factors and Behavioral Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of transdermal vagal nerve stimulation (tVNS) to mitigate the effects of fatigue induced by sleep deprivation on aspects of cognition including attention, arousal, multitasking, and memory in populations of DoD subjects.

Aim 1: The primary aim is to demonstrate a >20% improvement in at least one cognitive skill during sleep deprivation stress when compared to the control population.

Aim 2: The secondary aim is to assess effects of tVNS on subjective mood.

Short Title: CM Workload Sleep Loss and PVT

Responsible HRP Element: Behavioral Health and Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI)

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:
1. The proposed research will use a laboratory-based study to acquire critically-needed information on the effects on performance of high cognitive workload and sleep restriction.

2. The study hypothesizes that as sleep restriction accumulates, it will potentiate the performance-impairing effects of higher cognitive workload. Another key goal of the study is to provide astronauts with an objective way to identify performance changes and the need for countermeasures for fatigue from sleep restriction and high workload. To this end, the project will complete validation of the sensitivity of the 3-minute PVT SelfTest to high workload and sleep restriction. PVT SelfTest feedback interfaces will also be evaluated, and the task will be tested in analog operations to establish its technical feasibility.

3. Tertiary goals of the project include identification of biobehavioral predictors of differential vulnerability to the cognitive effects of sleep restriction and high workload

4. Development of individualized biomathematical models that predict performance on the PVT SelfTest during high workload

Short Title: Sleep Dose Recovery

Responsible HRP Element: Behavioral Health and Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI)

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:
The primary aim is to determine the sleep dose-response effects of an acute change in sleep duration that occurs between two periods of chronic sleep restriction, on neurocognitive performance functions, subjective states, and waking and sleep physiology. Findings will help indicate the relationship between the varying durations of time in bed and recovery of waking neurobehavioral and physiological outcomes, following chronic partial sleep deprivation.

Short Title: Mathematical Model Harvard

Responsible HRP Element: Behavioral Health and Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI)

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:

(1) Replace the current assumption that an individual sleeps when scheduled to sleep, with probabilities of sleep and wake during those times

(2) Improve daily assessment of sleep and sleep disruption using actigraphy data

(3) Add statistical features including confidence limits to the predictions

(4) Update the software per astronaut and ground crew requests for specific features and reports

Short Title: CPSS Dashboard Integration

Responsible HRP Element: Behavioral Health and Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI)

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Directed

Aims:

The overarching objective of this project is to integrate the Circadian Performance Simulation Software (CPSS) biomathematical model developed by the Harvard Biomathematical Modeling Unit (Dr. Elizabeth Klerman, Ph.D.) with the Behavioral Health and Performance Dashboard Software tool (BHP-DS) to support scenario modeling of astronaut schedules (inputs related to sleep, duty, and light exposure) to aid in the selection of fatigue countermeasures within the Behavioral Health and Performance Dashboard (BHP-DS). This project has 4 specific objectives:

1. Develop engineering requirements for a software module and user interface to scenario modeling of astronaut schedules within the BHP-DS.
2. Develop user interface mockups.
3. Implement the software within the BHP-DS platform.
4. Develop a blueprint for future development.

Short Title: Diet Sleep/Circadian CM (Research Requirements)

Responsible HRP Element: Behavioral Health and Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:
The purpose of this task is to evaluate the evidence related to the relationship between food (nutritional content and timing) and circadian and sleep physiology.

BHP is seeking collaboration with HHC/Nutrition and SHFH/Advanced Food Technology on this task.

Short Title: IFM

Responsible HRP Element: Behavioral Health and Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:
This aim of this planned task is to develop prototype software of the individualized fatigue meter. The fatigue meter will provide immediate feedback about alertness or fatigue levels so that astronauts can select fatigue countermeasures. The fatigue meter will incorporate data points from the Actiwatch data, PVT Self Test and NASA scheduling software to provide performance predictions based on validated mathematical models.

Short Title: CPSS Modeling Harvard

Responsible HRP Element: Behavioral Health and Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI)

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:

Specific Aim 1: Develop and refine the current circadian, neurobehavioral performance and subjective alertness (CNPA) model with melatonin as a marker rhythm to accurately predict phase and amplitude of the circadian pacemaker.

Specific Aim 2: Refine and validate the current model by using data from chronic sleep restriction protocols.

Specific Aim 3: Refine the current model to incorporate wavelength of light information.

Specific Aim 4: Develop Schedule Assessment and Countermeasure Design Software using the amended CPNA model from Specific Aims 1, 2 and 3 to evaluate schedules and design and test appropriate countermeasures.

Short Title: Modeling Sleep/Meds/Wake

Responsible HRP Element: Behavioral Health and Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI)

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:
1.Develop a combined model of sleep/wake and circadian rhythms
2. Incorporate the effects of pharmaceuticals: achieve a working model of the phase-shifting effects of melatonin, and intend to next include the hypnotic effects of melatonin. Once this is complete, the model will be validated against forced desynchrony data in which subjects were administered melatonin or placebo. Similar methodologies can then be used to model the effects of other drugs, including caffeine and modafinil (since BWH also has forced desynchrony data for both of these).

Short Title: Software Therapeutics for Improved Sleep

Responsible HRP Element: Behavioral Health and Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI)

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:
Pear Therapeutics  is developing combination  therapies for a variety of brain-related disorders including pain, sleep disturbances,  depression,  and anxiety.  eFormulations  are comprised of a software access code on the product packaging that provides access to Pear’s health apps. The patient takes the supplement  or prescribed medication and simultaneously uses Pear’s games and apps, increasing efficacy, improving side effects, and enhancing compliance.  This SMARTCAP  project will develop a software product to enhance sleep initiation in hypervigilant chronic sleep restricted subjects and compare the use of zolpidem alone to the zolpidem plus software for sleep initiation time and sleep quality and duration.

Short Title: Workload Meta-Analysis

Responsible HRP Element: Behavioral Health and Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

NASA Ames Research Center (ARC)

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:

1. Conduct a Literature Review and Meta-Analysis to identify the parameters that impact operator performance for long-duration mission operations by using formal meta-analysis methods. In the meta-analysis include workload issues that span the spectrum of micro- to macro-levels of analysis and how workload builds from discrete task performance into long-duration task performance. Also consider the relationship between workload and circadian rhythm that arise when workload extends beyond discrete tasks.
2. Develop a model-based tool to predict astronaut performance in long-duration missions.
3. Empirically validate the model-based tool to address major gaps in the meta-analysis.

Risk Mitigation/Partial Mitigation:

This research will partially mitigate the Risk of Inadequate Critical Task Design by addressing concerns about performance decrements in a long duration mission environment caused by astronauts experiencing fatigue and poor sleep.

Short Title: Workload and Scheduling LDM RR

Responsible HRP Element: Behavioral Health and Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

Space Human Factors Habitability (SHFH) Element

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:

This task will inform specific future research needs (if any) based on a thorough evidence review and an operational assessment on workload models, and fatigue models. Results could help inform whether the integration of various models is feasible, and how existing models supported by NASA and the military can support operations. The task contributes to gap closure by potentially yielding an enhanced mitigation strategy for future missions.

Short Title: Sleep Long (Actigraphy)

Responsible HRP Element: Behavioral Health and Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Solicited

Aims:
1) characterizing sleep and sleep disruption over shuttle and long duration missions

2) determining whether sleep disruption leads to subjective dissatisfaction with sleep and daytime alertness

3) characterizing the relationship between sleep and sleep medication use

4) determining the feasibility of the Actiwatch protocol as a monitoring technology in flight

Short Title: Sleep Monitoring Technologies Techwatch

Responsible HRP Element: Behavioral Health and Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Directed

Aims:
The aim of this task is to identify monitoring technologies that are more precise and unobtrusive than the current Actiwatch used in flight.

Short Title: Actiwatch TMP

Responsible HRP Element: Behavioral Health and Performance

Collaborating Org(s):

Funding Status: Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Aims:
The aim of this planned task is to transition the Actiwatch protocol to Medical Operations. The anticipated deliverable following this task will be a monitoring technology.