6 Lead Kardiamobile Holster
This project was requested under the Exploration medical group by flight surgeons and engineers.
Executive Summary
The Mars Mission Wearable ECG Holster Challenge is a NASA-inspired engineering design challenge for high school students at the intersection of biomedical engineering, space medicine, and human-centered design. Set in 2035, the challenge asks students to solve a real gap in space medicine capability: the KardiaMobile 6-Lead ECG device — an FDA-cleared, clinical-grade cardiac monitor — requires active thumb contact from the patient to function, making it unusable on an unconscious or incapacitated crewmember. Students are tasked with designing a wearable thigh-mounted holster that enables a single caregiver to administer a full 6-lead ECG on an unresponsive patient in under 60 seconds, without hospitals, backup personnel, or real-time support from Earth. The solution must meet NASA-STD-3001 standards for restraint systems and microbial contamination, and be durable enough for a 900+ day mission.
Problem Statement
During a long-duration Mars mission, a crewmember becomes incapacitated and cannot cooperate with a standard ECG test. The onboard flight surgeon needs to capture a 6-lead ECG reading using the KardiaMobile device, but the device is designed to require the patient to actively press their thumbs against its electrodes — something an unconscious person cannot do. With no hospitals, no additional medical personnel, and a 20-minute communication delay to Earth, a single caregiver must be able to independently administer cardiac diagnostics quickly and accurately. There is currently no hands-free, passive mounting solution that holds the KardiaMobile in position on an unresponsive patient while maintaining proper electrode contact. A wearable holster is needed that secures the device to the patient's thigh, passively positions the thumbs against the electrodes, and can be deployed by one person in under 60 seconds without patient cooperation.
Review the student brief and the Power Point. Other links for helpful resources.
