Smart Wearables for Cardiac Autonomic Monitoring in Isolated, Confined and Extreme Environments: A Perspective from Field Research in Antarctica

• Published in: Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 21; no. 4; p. 1303
• Main Authors: Moraes, Michele M, Mendes, Thiago T, Arantes, Rosa M E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 11-02-2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Antarctic Regions; Camping; Camps; cardiovascular; cold; Data collection; Extreme Environments; Field study; Heart rate; Humans; Ice; Ice environments; Internet access; isolation; Low temperature resistance; Physiological responses; Physiology; polar; portable devices; Remote monitoring; Research centers; Sensors; Smartphones; Viewpoint; Volunteers; Wearable Electronic Devices; Antarctic Regions; Antarctica; Finland; polar; cold; isolation; portable devices; cardiovascular
• ISSN: 1424-8220; 1424-8220
• DOI: 10.3390/s21041303

Antarctica is a space-analog ICE (isolated, cold, and extreme) environment. Cardiovascular and heart autonomic adjustments are key-adaptive physiological responses to Antarctica, both in summer camps and in research stations winter-over. Research fieldwork in ICE environments imposes limitations such as energy restriction, the need for portable and easy-to-handle resources, and resistance of materials to cold and snow/water. Herein, we present the methods we use for cardiac monitoring in the Antarctic field, the limitations of the equipment currently available, and the specific demands for smart wearables to physiological and health tracking in ICE environments, including the increased remote monitoring demand due to COVID-19 restrictions.