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COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN SERVICES
SEALS, NASA SEEK CSU EXPERTISE Conducting research that
tested under conditions that
heart rate and electrocardiographic
impacts the safety of top gun
simulated an altitude of 25,000
tracing.
fighter pilots, Navy SEALS and
feet. The data was turned over
And recently, the HPL collected
NASA astronauts is just some of
to local firm Orbital Research,
data for the Defense Department.
the work that takes place in the
which developed a sensor that
Subjects were monitored in the
College of Education and Human
connects to the face mask worn
lab’s lower body negative pressure
Services’ Human Performance
by fighter pilots and monitors their
chamber that simulates internal
Lab (HPL).
physiologic changes. CSU’s lab
bleeding. Orbital hopes to use the
will conduct further research on
data to develop a sensor glove that
Professor Ken Sparks, the HPL
the usefulness of the sensor in
can rapidly assess fallen soldiers
collaborates with external partners
predicting the onset, detecting the
on the battlefield.
to provide physiological testing
occurrence and issuing a warning
that’s used to devise products and
of hypoxia.
Under the direction of Associate
solutions for real-life problems.
In a similar project, CSU and
Each year, 100 to 150 exercise science students, mostly at the master’s level, participate
Orbital are working with the Navy
in projects in the HPL, either
potential to impact national
SEALS to monitor the health
as research assistants who are
security, is hypoxia (lack of
condition of submerged divers.
collecting and analyzing data, or as
oxygen) — high in the air and
Subjects were tested in the lab’s
test subjects. Faculty from across
deep beneath the sea. Recently,
underwater tank. The goal is
the University also participate, as
the Air Force grounded its entire
to develop sensors that can be
many projects are interdisciplinary.
fleet of F-22 Raptors when
integrated into scuba systems,
pilots experienced hypoxia-like
allowing the heart rate, breathing
College’s Partner of the Year
symptoms.
and body temperature of divers to
award. The HPL also works with
“Our lab is set up to measure
be monitored from the surface.
the Cleveland Clinic and other
physiological variables in human
The HPL is collaborating with
One such problem, with the
Last year, Orbital received the
local and national firms, and
Orbital in developing a harness
an Australian company recently
for astronauts to wear under their
contacted Dr. Sparks about
the physiology of volunteer
space suits. The harness has five
partnering with the lab.
subjects (often students) was
snap-in electrodes to monitor
performance,” says Dr. Sparks. For the Air Force hypoxic study,
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CSUOHIO.EDU Cleveland State University
David Ball