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Issued patent

Portable Unit for Metabolic Analysis (PUMA)

An issued NASA patent from the Technology Transfer catalog.

View at technology.nasa.gov
Media from NASA Technology Transfer

About this technology

Overview

NASA's Glenn Research Center has developed the Portable Unit for Metabolic Analysis (PUMA) to provide highly precise real-time measurements of human metabolic functions. PUMA is a battery-powered, wearable device that measures concentrations of carbon dioxide and oxygen in inhaled and exhaled breath as well as heart rate, temperature, gas pressure, and inhalation and exhalation airflow rates. The device relays data wirelessly to a laptop computer for real-time analysis. Because the technology is packaged into a compact and wearable unit and can be used anywhere, a multitude of applications are possible, from ensuring the health and safety of astronauts, pilots, divers, and miners to monitoring patients with pulmonary disease and evaluating fitness levels of soldiers and athletes.