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The need for reduced system size and weight while increasing performance for military and commercial systems will require high-temperature electronics capable of running the actuators, high-speed motors and generators of the future. Of the many passive devices necessary to satisfy the need for a complete high temperature system, perhaps none has been more problematic than that of the capacitor, particularly for larger devices requiring values of several micro- to milli-farads. In this paper we introduce an ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) we have recently developed that can operate well above the standard 125°C. These capacitors have the potential to meet all other typical aerospace and automotive design constraints of high reliability, robustness, and light weight as well as having additional features of being flexible, scalable, and customizable in shape.

Static postural analysis not only provides classic musculoskeletal and spinal symptoms along with clinical data, but also specific neurophysiological markers that identify the occurrence of Postural Deficiency Syndrome (PDS). The symptoms of PDS have been shown recently to correlate with astronaut’s Space Adaptation Syndrome (SAS) and Post-Flight Adaptation Syndrome (PFAS) related symptoms. This correlation is briefly reviewed and expanded upon with respect to the importance of static postural data in understanding these symptoms. A neurophysiological assessment methodology is discussed to illustrate how specific postural data combined with vestibular and ocular-visual data can explain PDS symptoms as they relate to the sensory-motor controls. A selection of research objectives is suggested in terms of future considerations on better understanding SAS and PFAS as applied to astronaut operations.

This paper correlates ten years of selected clinical data, taken from patients suffering from PDS related acute and chronic post-traumatic medical conditions, to that of impacts on human neurophysiology found under typical Space mission constraints. Specifically, this paper focuses on the strong correlation between unmitigated symptoms associated with Space Adaptation Syndrome (SAS) and symptoms associated with Postural Deficiency Syndrome (PDS) that have been mitigated with biophotonic technology. This data provides strong evidence that biophotonic technology poses as a significant candidate for biomedical treatment and monitoring of astronauts in Space.