Wireless Compose-2: Experiment Results of an Ultra-Wideband Wireless Sensor Network with a Ballistocardiography Smart-Shirt for the ISS Columbus Laboratory

Abstract

This paper presents the results of Wireless Compose-2, a group of experiments centered around a wireless sensor network payload for the ISS. It is used to demonstrate a flexible and robust wireless sensor network infrastructure that serves several experiments showing low-power, low-weight, wireless data acquisition for scientific and medical purposes. Recent work has revealed the potential of utilizing WSN in the space domain. Contrary to traditional networks Wireless-Compose-2 relies on impulse based ultra-wideband (UWB) for the physical transmission to mitigate fading effects commonly present in the highly RF reflective environment of a spacecraft. The experiments conducted include a performance analysis of this type of RF network as well as its RF ranging capabilities. The second experiment is BEAT (Ballistocardiography for Extraterrestrial Applications and Long-Term Missions) which is integrated into a smart-shirt and acquires cardiac parameters via integrated sensors. The last part is an investigation of the energy harvesting capabilities aboard the space station utilizing the internal light sources of the Columbus module with an additional spectral analysis of the available light.