June 12, 2014

Concept

Cardiolab is one of the Science Module of the EPM rack. The EPM is a rack, also named carrier, which provides:

  • thermal, electrical, mechanical and data handling services to a set of active drawers in which the Science Modules are integrated in,
  • stowage capacity to the passive devices.

As the configuration of Cardiolab is adapted in the time according to the scientific experiments selection, flexibility and evolutivity are the main guidelines. The Cardiolab design follows a modular approach to such an extent as to facilitate:

  • on orbit servicing,
  • use of instruments from other Science Modules, HRF, Checs,
  • maintenance,
  • upgrade/reconfiguration down to the level of sub module on unit exchange and software,
  • inclusion of new sub modules.

Cardiolab consists of racked elements in the EPM and stowed-deployable elements. Under this definition, we include any elements which are stowed in passive drawers in the EPM or in the stowage rack and deployed during Cardiolab operations.

Cardiolab is composed of:

  • A set of sensors: they are scientific devices which acquire one or several physiological signals and are issued from already existing medical devices. Among them are some devices for basic blood analyses.
  • A set of stressor devices : they are devices which allow to apply different stimuli to the subject.
  • A Data Management System which manages the sensor or the stressor devices and which interfaces with the EPM's Data Handling System. It includes a Data Central Management Unit (based on a PC computer), a laptop as a Man Machine Interface and the software. This software is divided into two levels :
  • A set of software elements.
  • The application software which is generated by sequencing a set of the software elements, according to the scientific protocols selected.
  • Consumable and spare parts will be identified and qualified by EPM.