The Israeli headset for AX-1 is a mind headset that aims to deliver high-resolution neural changes that happen in the brain while in space. This headset is set to fly aboard Axiom space’s first-ever private mission to International Space Station AX-1 in April 2022. 

What is AX-1 

Axiom Space is an American private space habitat company that aims to operate the world’s first commercial space station in 2024. Axiom Space was founded in 2016 with the aim of creating a commercial space station. In March 2020, Axiom Space announced that they would charter a flight to ISS with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.  Axiom Mission-1 (AX-1) is a planned mission to ISS.  The flight will be launched on 8^th April 2022 with 4 crew members Michael Lopez-Alegria, Larry Connor, Eytan Stibbe, and Mark Pathy.  It will spend 2 days in transit to the station and dock with Harmony, then they will spend 8 days aboard the International Space Station. The Israeli headset is planned for aboard the AX-1 mission with the crew. This headset is from an Israeli-based startup Brain. Space. This headset will be aboard the AX-1 and will return after 8 days along with the crew members. 

Purpose of the Israeli headset 

According to the company Brain. Space, to date there is no high-quality longitudinal data regarding the neural changes in space missions. By sending and testing this headset with AX-1 the company aims to obtain and study how the brain adapts in space. The information would be very vital as the environment in space has radiation, microgravity, and isolation. The company claims that this information would help future space flyers get more comfortable in orbit. 

What does the headset do? 

The studies related to neurons and nervous systems have been performed in space before, but they were performed using gel-based systems that assess electrical activities at reduced resolution. The experiment by this Israeli headset, Brain. Space organization noted, “were complex to set up in microgravity and centered on simple brain activity measurements.” The headset by Brain. Space will simplify the setup and give significant and detailed information about how the brain behaves in space. 

The experiment by the headset will monitor detailed brain activity and will see how the brain accesses and uses the knowledge in space, called cognitive performance. By forming adaptations for future space travelers, it can also provide metrics to assess the health of the brain in space. This will lead to more studies in the future. 

The tasks of the Israeli headset 

The company plans to collect 2, 15-minute recordings per day for the eight days of mission AX-1. The videos that will be recorded will flow to the company Brain. Space for assistance and the data from it will then be analyzed by both Brains. Space and Ben-Gurion University in Beersheba, Israel that is its research partner. 

This headset consists of around 500 electroencephalography sensors. These sensors detect electrical signals from neurons present in the brain. The system has AI that decodes these signals. 

The tasks of the headset include observing the ‘resting state’ of the brain in space, and observing the brain while the subject is looking at a ‘visual oddball’(waveform). The company hopes this information will help brain disorders on earth like sleeping disorders or schizophrenia. 

This Israeli mind ‘headset’ is all set to go into space and collect the information for further research. The company and its research partner will analyze all the data and hope to come up with a fruitful output. This might be a game-changer for space flyers.