New publication

The cognitive performance of the crew has a major impact on mission safety and success in space flight. Monitoring of cognitive performance during long-duration space flight therefore is of paramount importance and can be performed using compact state-of-the-art mobile EEG. However, signal quality of EEG may be compromised due to the vicinity to various electronic devices and constant movements.
In a recently published study, we compare noise characteristics between inflight extraterrestrial microgravity and ground-level terrestrial electroencephalography (EEG) recordings. EEG data recordings from either aboard International Space Station (ISS) or on earth’s surface, utilizing three EEG amplifier types and two electrode types, were compared.
In-flight recordings showed noise level of an order of magnitude lower when compared to pre- and post-flight ground-level recordings with the same EEG system. Noise level characteristics of shielded ground-level EEG recordings, using wet and dry electrodes, and in-flight EEG recordings were similar. We conclude that actively shielded mobile dry EEG systems will support neuroscientific research and neurocognitive monitoring during spaceflight, especially during long-duration space missions.

Fiedler P, Haueisen J, Alvarez AMC, Cheron G, Cuesta P, Maestú F, Funke M:

Noise characteristics in spaceflight multichannel EEG.
(2023) PLoS ONE 18(2): e0280822.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280822

Contact:    Jun.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Patrique Fiedler