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UNOOSA Webinar on Nov 9th 2023
The UNOOSA (United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs) has invited Hexoskin's CEO Pierre-Alexandre Fournier to speak about medical research conducted aboard the International Space Station with Astroskin wearable sensors.
The webinar entitled "From Space to Earth: Innovations enabling accessibility on Earth" was live on Thursday November 9th, 2023, you watch a recording of the event here.
There are less than 700 astronauts who have visited space from the time Yuri Gagarin reached orbit for the first time in 1961 to now in 2023. Most of these astronauts were selected to have none or few health conditions.
With space more accessible than ever, we expect thousands of people to visit space in the coming decades on suborbital and orbital flights. Many of these new astronauts who will visit space to work or as travellers will have health conditions or disabilities.
Health research conducted in the space station today with Astroskin health sensors helps better understand the risks and mitigation strategies to make space more accessible. It also helps better understand the effects of aging on human performance: microgravity has effects on the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems analog to accelerated aging.
About the UNOOSA
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) works to promote international cooperation in the peaceful use and exploration of space, and in the utilisation of space science and technology for sustainable economic and social development. The Office assists any United Nations Member States to establish legal and regulatory frameworks to govern space activities and strengthens the capacity of developing countries to use space science technology and applications for development by helping to integrate space capabilities into national development programmes.
Hexoskin at Biosensors for Medical Wearables 2023 in Boston: Non-adhesive, flexible wearable sensors for pulmonary medical applications
Hexoskin's co-founder and CEO Pierre-Alexandre Fournier has been invited this year again to talk about wearable vital signs monitoring and digital biomarker development at the Biosensors for Medical Wearables Conference in Boston, this October 23rd.
Vital signs sensors traditionally used for cardiac and respiratory monitoring involve adhesives or tape to keep sensors in place on the skin. Experience has shown there's a tradeoff between monitoring duration (1 to 14 days), and adhesive agressiveness, which can lead to skin rashes or wounds.
There's now a safer and more convenient way for patients to record long-term vital signs data needed for diagnosis or digital biomarker development: smart textiles. Hexoskin users have successfully demonstrated the advantages of using a form factor that patients like. Researchers have documented it in over 200 scientific papers.
Moreover, Hexoskin biometric shirts' respiratory sensors allow continuous pulmonary measurements previously hard or impossible to collect in real-world situations, outside laboratory environments. These sensors open a new era of research on diseases that have an impact on the pulmonary function.
In his talk, Fournier will describe medical applications of smart textile sensors for patients with respiratory diseases, as well as opportunities in research in cardiology, mental health and rare diseases. He will also share unique insights into Hexoskin's experience in space medicine research aboard the International Space Station.
Please reach out for more information: contact@hexoskin.com
Now 200+ Scientific Publications with Hexoskin!
Research organizations publish more than ever with Hexoskin data! Hexoskin Scientific Community has surpassed a significant milestone by publishing over 200 scientific publications.
Hexoskin is the most popular smart clothing platform for health monitoring in the world, and its users have published more papers with Hexoskin and Astroskin devices than with all the competition combined.
The long list of papers covers cardiovascular health, respiratory monitoring, stress, sleep, space medicine, and many more subjects.
We've always believed transparency and collaboration are fundamental values necessary to the progress of science. This is why from the beginning we provided to our users tools to conduct investigations, collect data from research participants, and an open API to access every data point collected and automate data processing tasks. From these tools has emerged a dynamic research community pushing our understanding of human physiology.
Since 2012, Hexoskin has supported thousands of clients with end-to-end and flexible solutions to fit all their needs and bring new capabilities for leading research and projects. Hexoskin now reaches more than 50 countries and is used by top universities, research institutes, hospitals, government, defense, police, and first responders organizations in addition to companies in many industries.
Our Hexoskin + Research program aims to support student and academic researchers every step of the way. Hexoskin also supports professionals and innovative companies with our program Hexoskin + Professionals.
Contact our team to discuss how Hexoskin can support you with tailored solutions to help you find answers to your next big questions.
Arab Astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi Participates in Astroskin Supported Research Aboard the International Space Station
Sultan Al Neyadi is an Emirati astronaut and one of the first two astronauts from the United Arab Emirates, along with Hazza Al Mansouri. As part of Expedition 69, he's participating in the longest Arab space mission in history!
Sultan Al Neyadi was launched into orbit February 26th, 2023 aboard SpaceX's Crew-6 mission, which was also carrying Astroskin resupply payload. He's involved in hundreds of scientific activities including 19 major scientific experiments for the UAE.
One of these experiments involves measuring his vital signs in the ISS space environment using the Bio-Monitor Astroskin wearable sensors system.
What I'm wearing isn't just any shirt. The Bio-Monitor smart shirt & headband I have on tracks vital health stats such as heart rate, blood pressure & more offering insights into our body's response to microgravity. This technology can be a game-changer for remote healthcare.🩺🔬 pic.twitter.com/e6YHC975kK
— Sultan AlNeyadi (@Astro_Alneyadi) May 31, 2023
Astroskin Abord the ISS
The Astroskin Bio-Monitor system first reached the International Space Station in December 2018, and has been commissionned by Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques in January 2019. The wearable vital signs monitoring system has since been used by astronauts to participate in one of the many ongoing research projects on human physiology in microgravity using the platform.
Astroskin is also used by hundreds of researchers on Earth to push the boundaries of medical knowledge.
Here's a list of space launches that carried Astroskin payloads as of June 2023:
- SpaceX CRS-16 (December 5th, 2018)
- Cygnus NG-11 (April 17th, 2019)
- SpaceX CRS-18 (July 25th, 2019)
- SpaceX CRS-19 (December 5th, 2019
- SpaceX CRS-20 (March 7th, 2020)
- Cygnus NG-14 (October 3rd, 2020)
- SpaceX CRS-21 (December 6th, 2020)
- SpaceX CRS-22 (June 3rd, 2021)
- SpaceX CRS-23 (August 29th, 2021)
- SpaceX Crew-4 (April 27th, 2022)
- SpaceX Crew-5 (October 5th, 2022)
- SpaceX Crew-6 (February 26th, 2023)
- SpaceX NG-19 (May 6th, 2023)
- SpaceX CRS-28 (June 5th, 2023)
Hexoskin at HITLAB Digital Health Summit 2023 in New York
Hexoskin's co-founder and CEO, Pierre-Alexandre Fournier, has been invited to speak at the prestigious HITLAB Innovator Summit 2023, hosted at Columbia University in New York City this June 27-29.
In the past 10 years we have seen enormous progress in the use of digital technologies in healthcare to support a wide range of activities: remote care, remote diagnostics, access to medical data, artificial intelligence, virtual clinical trials, genetic analysis, digital biomarker development, molecule discovery, etc. Despite all this progress, patients, physicians, scientists and researchers agree we have barely started to use digital tools to address our growing need for efficient healthcare, therapies and population health management.
The event includes speakers from Merck, Takeda, Pfizer, Syneos, Medidata, CVS, Novo Nordisk, Microsoft, Mount Sinai Health System, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and many other organizations working to improve human health and access to care.
Please reach out to us if you'd like to arrange a meeting during the event: contact@hexoskin.com
Tickets are still available, and you can get 20% off with the special code SUMMITPAF23.
About Hexoskin
Founded in 2006 in Montreal, Hexoskin is a leader in wearable sensors, software, data science & AI services. The company provides solutions and services to researchers & professionals in pharmaceuticals, academics, healthcare, defense, first responders, space, and aerospace organizations.
Hexoskin's Co-Founder and CEO Pierre-Alexandre Fournier on The Bleeding Edge of Digital Health Podcast
In this episode of the Bleeding Edge of Digital Health, host Mike Moore speaks with entrepreneur, scientist, and co-founder of Hexoskin, Pierre-Alexander Fournier.
Mike and Pierre talk about how his latest tech garment is being utilized in health care today, how it is benefiting not just the patient but the physician as well, and more importantly, the future products and garments in Hexoskin’s pipeline that will pave the way for further innovation and change the way we take care of our health, and the health of the ones we care about. Be sure to listen to the entire session.
Notable Quotes
“So, we're working on different garments. We do have another product that has more sensors called the Astroskin that is being used in research, and that's the product that is being used in the space station right now for different research projects in microgravity. The Astroskin is the model Chris Hemsworth is wearing in Limitless.”
“Research groups we're working with have built the largest database of vital signs for many specific health conditions. So, there are a lot of things that will come out of it. And as I said earlier, we're not just building a product for single use. Eventually, we're going to add blocks to that platform so that it can be used for several types of disease, and it's going to become a great bundle for people with comorbidities.”
Podcast links:
Hexoskin at Biosensors for Medical Wearables in Boston: Overcoming Challenges in Long-Term Medical Monitoring
Hexoskin's co-founder and CEO Pierre-Alexandre Fournier has been invited to talk about long-term vital signs monitoring at the Biosensors for Medical Wearables Conference in Boston on October 25th.
Vital signs sensors traditionally used for cardiac and respiratory monitoring involve adhesives or tape to keep the sensors in place on the skin. Experience has shown there's a tradeoff between monitoring duration (1 to 14 days), and adhesive agressiveness, which can lead to skin rashes or wounds.
There's now a safer and more convenient way for patients to record long-term vital signs data needed for diagnosis or to guide care or rehabilitation: smart textiles. Hexoskin users have successfully demonstrated the advantages of using a form factor that patients like. Researchers have documented it in over 200 scientific papers.
In his talk, Fournier will describe medical applications of smart textile sensors for patients with cardiac and respiratory diseases, as well as opportunities in research in mental health and rare diseases. He will also share unique insights into Hexoskin's experience in space medicine research aboard the International Space Station.
Please reach out for more information: contact@hexoskin.com
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.
Japanese Astronaut Aki Hoshide (JAXA) Wears the Astroskin Bio-Monitor in the International Space Station
Japanese Astronaut Aki Hoshide was the 5th astronaut to wear the Astroskin Bio-Monitor system aboard the International Space Station last week. Astronauts use the Astroskin in space since 2019 to participate in various research studies, including "Vascular Aging", a project lead by University of Waterloo researchers.
Many more astronauts are scheduled to use Astroskin in space. The system is available to all participating space agencies and research universities. The most recent Astroskin payload was launched with SpaceX's mission CRS-23 on August 29th, 2021.
Microgravity affects fluid movements in the body and heat transmission (in the absence of convection movement in microgravity). This triggers physiological phenomena impossible to monitor on the ground and tests our models of human physiology. The Astroskin Bio-Monitor system gives scientists a tool to observe these phenomena in space. It also prepares us to maintain crew health during long space missions beyond low earth orbit (LEO), to the Moon and Mars.
A Brief History of the Astroskin
Here's a list of space launches that carried Astroskin payloads:
- SpaceX CRS-16 (December 5th, 2018)
- Cygnus NG-11 (April 17th, 2019)
- SpaceX CRS-18 (July 25th, 2019)
- SpaceX CRS-19 (December 5th, 2019
- SpaceX CRS-20 (March 7th, 2020)
- Cygnus NG-14 (October 3rd, 2020)
- SpaceX CRS-21 (December 6th, 2020)
- SpaceX CRS-22 (June 3rd, 2021)
- SpaceX CRS-23 (August 29th, 2021)
The Astroskin Vital Signs Monitoring Platform is also used on Earth on industrial projects and scientific research.
Information about Astroskin missions aboard the ISS:
https://lsda.jsc.nasa.gov/Hardware/hardconfig/3065
https://directory.eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/i/iss-bio-monitor-analyzer
Advancing space medicine knowledge aboard the ISS. Another space mission for Astroskin / Bio-Monitor!
Earlier this month, European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano conducted validation tests on-orbit and wore the Astroskin garment and headband connected to the data unit for his first 72-hour monitoring experience.
Luca Parmitano also conducted maintenance operations for the Astroskin / Bio-Monitor that was deployed on the ISS orbiting lab, last December by Canadian Astronaut David Saint-Jacques.
Although the ISS is equipped with health and life sciences research tools, the existing instrumentation for continuous and simultaneous recording of several physiological parameters was lacking. To address this issue, the Canadian Space Agency's Bio-Monitor Commissioning activity uses the Astroskin / Bio-Monitor system; a complete vital signs monitoring platform coupled with a wearable garment capable of monitoring relevant physiological parameters in a non-invasive and non-interfering way during a normal day in space.
The physiological parameters which can be monitored consist of blood pressure, peripheral blood oxygen saturation, 3-lead ECG, respiration, skin temperature, and activity, will help push further our understanding of Vascular aging and Human Physiology in space.
Venturing into the environment of space, microgravity can have negative effects on the human body. When astronauts return to Earth, their carotid arteries, which carry blood to the head and neck, appear to have aged 20 to 30 years. Artery walls become stiffer and thicker in space, the same as when people grow older on Earth.
“You can take extremely healthy, fit astronauts and put them in an environment that restricts their ability to do daily exercise, and they run the risk of developing insulin resistance that on Earth could lead to Type II diabetes,” said principal investigator Richard L. Hughson of Schlegel-University of Waterloo in Ontario
Now operational the Astroskin Bio-Monitor system is available for the next five years to conduct Health research in Space for all participating countries to the International Space Station.
Sometimes you wear the experiment: the Bio-Monitor smart shirt system measures vital signs like temperature, heart rate, respiration and movement, and transmits the data to a tablet application. #MissionBeyond @csa_asc pic.twitter.com/2h6lmRUyHH
— Luca Parmitano (@astro_luca) 19 août 2019
Source:
NASA. 2019. ISS Daily Summary Report - 8/14/2019
NASA. 2019. ISS Daily Summary Report - 8/13/2019
About Hexoskin
Since 2006, Hexoskin’s mission is to develop sensors and health data infrastructure to generate clinical grade real-world evidence. The Astroskin demonstrates once again Hexoskin’s leadership in providing the industry leading sensors, software, and AI to push further our understanding of human physiology on earth and in space.
