Physiological aspects of automatic physical training control by biofeedback in weightlessness

Area of Science:

• Space physiology
• Biomedical engineering
• Human performance in extreme environments

Background:

• Maintaining astronaut health and performance during spaceflight is critical.
• Monitoring physiological responses, particularly cardiac function, is essential for safety and mission success.
• Developing reliable methods for assessing workload tolerance in microgravity is an ongoing challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the UN-1 automatically regulated biofeedback apparatus.
• To enable astronauts to maintain exercise or lower body negative pressure within cardiac limits.
• To assess cosmonaut workload tolerance during space flight.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the UN-1 biofeedback apparatus for real-time monitoring.
• Regulated exercise intensity and lower body negative pressure based on cardiac function parameters.
• Assessed cosmonaut performance on a cycloergometer under spaceflight conditions.

Main Results:

• The UN-1 apparatus effectively regulated parameters to maintain cardiac function within acceptable limits.
• Cosmonauts' workload tolerance was assessed using the apparatus during space flight.
• A steady-state heart rate of 140 beats/minute was identified as a limit for exercise on the cycloergometer.

Conclusions:

• The UN-1 biofeedback apparatus is a valuable tool for managing astronaut physiological responses during space missions.
• The device aids in assessing and managing workload tolerance, contributing to astronaut safety.
• Establishing heart rate limits is crucial for preventing overexertion and ensuring cosmonaut well-being.