ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC KIT (ODK)
Research Area: Crew Healthcare Systems
Expedition(s): 27-ongoing
Principal Investigator(s): ● Yoshinori Yoshimura and Shin Yamada, MD, PhD, Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency, Tsukuba, Japan
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The Onboard Diagnostic Kit (ODK) is a noninvasive, health-monitoring system capable of
measuring, storing, and analyzing crew members’ medical data while aboard the International
Space Station (ISS). The medical data collected aboard are sent to the ground immediately,
whereby doctors can quickly monitor and check health status of the ISS crew members.
EARTH BENEFITS
This mission establishes that space explorers
can receive medical healthcare utilizing
commercial off the shelf (COTS) medical
equipment and communicating with medical
doctors on the Earth to share test results using
a Windows-based application. Although further
user-friendliness needs to be improved, this
system could allow people in remote
communities to receive expert advice and
support from medical doctors in a distant
place.
SPACE BENEFITS
Crew healthcare is one of the most important things for long-duration stays in space, or to
explore other planets in the future. Therefore a platform of integrated medical systems needs
to be constructed. Monitoring cardio autonomic functions is important for improving crew
health technology during long-duration spaceflight.
RESULTS
Various medical data was collected and downlinked to investigate the performance of the
system. After measuring the data, the crew recorded their feedback and suggestions to assist in
the evaluation and upgrade of the system.
JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa's 5 and a half-month mission allowed for the execution of an
initial checkout of equipment and 3 sessions of data acquisition. A digital Holter, a pulse
oximeter, a USB camera, a stethoscope, and an electroencephalograph were used to measure
each healthcare data.
Astronaut Satoshi Furukawa with an Electroencephalograph.
JAXA image.