Use of 'Prognoz' EPD in aerospace medicine

Considering that 'Prognoz' EPD system was originally a multi-purpose design, it was not intended for exclusive use in the aerospace industry. Nevertheless, it was 'Prognoz' that was used in a unique capacity: to assess the human functional state (FS) under the conditions of a real space flight. There is no doubt that spaceflight and long-term stay in low Earth orbit is one of the few situations when the most extraordinary conditions are realized, both in terms of functioning of technical devices and of human vital activity.

The primary goal of the study with 'Prognoz' EPD technique aboard the MIR space station was to substantiate the methodology for measuring and analyzing electrocutaneous resistance (ECR) of biologically active points (BAPs) to assess the dynamics of the FS of the crew. Another goal, which was even more important for the use of 'Prognoz' EPD on Earth, was to determine the simplicity and reliability of use of 'Prognoz' measuring tools by personnel without special training in the field of reflective diagnostics while under unusual conditions (the compartment of a spacecraft).

As a result of the research, a large portion of scientific data important for the aerospace industry has been obtained. Among other results, it has been shown that the dynamics of ECR in BAPs is, apparently, a more sensitive and informative indicator for assessing a cosmonaut's FS than the generally accepted ones (heart rate and blood pressure). As such, while the generally accepted indicators changed by 5%...25% during the cosmonaut's activity as compared to the control values, the ECS in some BAPs changed by up to 200%. The performance capability of 'Prognoz' EPD design solutions has been fully confirmed, including under the conditions of space flight.