SPACEVOYAGER - Space Apps Challenge

SPACEVOYAGER| Sleep Shift Scheduling Tool

Sleep Shift Scheduling Tool

Sleep loss and fatigue may lead to reduced performance and an increased risk to safety during many activities, including spaceflight. Your challenge is to develop an operational sleep shift scheduling tool that provides autonomous customization of a schedule for sleep, exercise, and nutrition to manage fatigue.

SPACE VOYAGER

Summary

Astronauts’ biggest problem is the Circadian rhythm disorder. Circadium rhythm is the natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats on each rotation of the Earth roughly every 24 hours. For astronauts, it’s just a dream.We acknowledge the problem and we know that it results in poor physical and mental health. For the solution of the problem; using the information we got from a cosmonaut himself; we’ve created SpaceVoyager. With its advanced settings and extraordinary design, we aim to bring baby sleep to space and support the physical and mental health of astronauts.

How We Addressed This Challenge

Due to the aforesaid Circadian Rhythm Disorder, astronauts’ work efficiency and attention span decrease drastically. These consequences are mostly related to amnesia.

As a solution, we’ve created Space Voyager for astronauts to be able to sleep more efficiently. Space Voyager is focusing on the fetal position known as the healthiest sleeping position. The air circulator fan we’ve inserted inside the case helps to prevent carbondioxide from accumulating in the mouth area of the astronaut. Space missioner can control their daily schedules of sleep, nutrition and exercise from the control panel included in the design.

With Space Voyager, it is aimed to increase working efficiency and attention span, by ensuring that astronauts are having quality sleep.

How We Developed This Project

We had the big chance to meet General Muhammed Ahmed Faris in person and talk about his experiences in Space. He said, “At times when I wasn’t able to fall asleep; I would try to sleep in the fetal position. Then I would relax and fall asleep easily.” He told us that when he came back to Earth, the doctor told him that every cell in our bodies have memories and when he tried to sleep in the fetal position, his body immediately remembered his time in the womb and it calmed his body and mind.

We started working on the fetal position. After loads of working and research, we’ve developed the Space Voyager. In the process of doing so, we’ve used Fusion360 and Tinkercad to have the most efficient design as possible. Soon after that, we’ve used the Zaxe Z1 3D Printer to have the hardcopy of Space Voyager.

How We Used Space Agency Data in This Project

Using these open sources of nasa, we determined what the circadian rhythm is and the negativities caused by the disruption of the circadian rhythm. We used the systems used in the space station and the daily shift system to prevent astronauts from experiencing these negativities. In the light of these surgeries, we created solutions to astronauts' sleep problems.

https://humanresearchroadmap.nasa.gov/Risks/risk.aspx?i=100

https://humanresearchroadmap.nasa.gov/Evidence/

https://lsda.jsc.nasa.gov/Experiment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyFYgeE32f0

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/astronauts_improve_sleep

https://lsda.jsc.nasa.gov/Experiment/exper/1234