TerraOrbit Sleep System: A Headband for Deep-Sleep Stabilization in Microgravity

Abstract

Background/Objective: Long-duration space missions put immense physiological strain on astronauts. They face 16 daily orbital light cycles, high operational stress, and head-level heat buildup caused by the lack of air convection in microgravity. Together, these stressors disrupt Stage N3 slow-wave sleep (SWS), which the brain needs for cognitive performance, muscle repair, and waste clearance.

Methods: To fix this, we designed the TerraOrbit Sleep System, a non-pharmacological wearable headband. The system builds flexible dry-fabric EEG sensors, micro-Peltier cooling modules, and bone-conduction transducers onto a breathable fabric band powered by flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs). The onboard processor isolates delta-wave signals (0.5–4.0 Hz) in real time to deliver phase-locked acoustic pulses that actively sustain slow-wave sleep.

Results: Our design addresses the major flaws of past commercial headbands by eliminating movement artifact noise, preventing localized head overheating, and replacing rigid components with a soft form factor.

Conclusions: This headband provides a low-cost, practical way to protect the cognitive and physical health of astronauts on long missions, as well as night-shift workers on Earth.