NASA uses a device from a startup supported by Pipe-Fapesp to monitor sleep and activity on the Artemis 2 mission
A few hours before the Orion spacecraft crossed the skies towards the Moon on April 1st, the mechatronics engineer received a confirmation that he had been waiting for since the announcement of the Artemis 2 mission, in 2023. An email from NASA informed that the crew of the first manned flight around the satellite in half a century would take with them a device developed by him and his team at the São Paulo startup, with the initial program (Innovative Research in Small Businesses), from Fapesp.
“NASA’s statement was sudden and took us by surprise. And only after the mission was completed we also learned that astronauts had already been using the equipment in tests for the last two years.”, says Okamoto to Fapesp Agency.
Called an actigraph, the device is shaped like a wristwatch and integrates accelerometers and light and temperature sensors to map, with high precision, the user’s sleep and wake patterns over days or weeks.
The operation is based on an activity sensor that monitors the frequency and intensity of arm movements. From the analysis of this data, it is possible to infer periods of rest (absence of movement) and periods of readiness (presence of movement), accurately recording the individual’s circadian behavior.
This “biological clock” of approximately 24 hours, which regulates the physical and behavioral functions of most living beings, is primarily influenced by luminosity.
To monitor it, the device has ten onboard sensors that detect exposure to light in different spectral bands. These data are crucial, as they allow us to characterize not only the intensity of light, but also its spectral composition throughout the light-dark cycle, the main external regulator responsible for synchronizing the internal biological clock with the environment.
“The light-dark cycle is defined by the rotation of the Earth and it is from this that the brain anticipates the moment of sleep. In space, this reference is lost, as astronauts can remain in constant light or darkness, depending on their position in relation to the Sun.“, says, professor at the School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities at the University of São Paulo (EACH-USP). A specialist in chronobiology – a science that studies the rhythms and internal biological clock of living beings –, Pedrazzoli coordinated studies that supported the development of the Brazilian actigraph.
Unregulated sleep
On the ISS (International Space Station), for example, astronauts witness 16 sunrises and sunsets per day, phenomena that can severely disrupt the sleep-wake cycle. To mitigate this stress, light-emitting diode (LED) systems were installed at the station that simulate the Earth’s cycle, helping the crew’s sleep hygiene.
“Due to these factors and others still under investigation, such as the effect of gravity, astronauts tend to be sleep deprived. In space, rest is inherently dysregulated”says Pedrazzoli.
As sleep deprivation generates cognitive and motor deficits that can compromise long-term missions, agencies such as NASA commonly conduct studies to assess how irregular light cycles and sleep disorders impact the human body, causing health risks in both the short and long term, explains the researcher.
Researchers linked to the agency are investigating, for example, how factors such as light and caffeine consumption affect crews’ biological clocks and influence sleep quality.
“Chronobiology was born with funding from NASA, precisely because of the need to understand how astronauts sleep in space”, says Pedrazzoli.
“In 2023, NASA contacted us looking for a new supplier. Initially, they made a small purchase for the science and engineering sectors“, says Okamoto. Today, the startup exports 80% of its production, 200 to 300 devices per month, to more than 40 countries, serving large universities and research centers
For the Artemis campaign, the North American space agency began, in 2023, a study to monitor the well-being, activity level, sleep patterns and interactions of astronauts. The motivation for the Archer project (Artemis Research for Crew Health and Readiness) resides in the critical environment of the Orion capsule: a confined, confined space where the crew faces prolonged biological and psychological challenges, including isolation and radiation on deep space missions.
To make the study viable, NASA engineers searched the global market for actigraph options capable of monitoring the crew in real time. The Condor Instruments device caught the agency’s attention after the startup’s representatives participated in international scientific conferences on chronobiology, sleep and light.
“In 2023, they contacted us looking for a new supplier. Initially, they made a small purchase for the science and engineering sectors. Since then, we have participated in several meetings as the project evolved. The device underwent rigorous testing to assess whether the data met mission needs and whether it was safe and reliable for flight.”, affirms Okamoto.
Although there had been signs of use on Artemis 2 since the end of 2025, official confirmation only came on the day of launch. “Only when the ship took off did we know that the device was wearing a suit on board”, says the engineer.
Technological differences
According to Okamoto, the Brazilian actigraph stands out compared to international competitors for integrating the monitoring of motor activity, exposure to light and body temperature. This last piece of information is crucial, as the human body temperature drops between 1 °C and 2 °C during sleep, a physiological process of the circadian cycle that favors relaxation and energy conservation.
Another difference is the measurement of melanopic light – a spectrum of cyan-blue light (around 490 nanometers) that impacts the human non-visual system. This light activates photosensitive ganglion cells in the retina, inhibiting melatonin and signaling to the brain that it is daytime, which increases alertness and suppresses sleep.
“Cell phones emit light at precisely this wavelength. Therefore, using these devices at night radically alters brain sleep regulation.”says Pedrazzoli.
The device also has an event button, activated synchronously by astronauts in historic moments, such as on April 6, when Orion reached 406,777 km from Earth – the furthest point ever reached by humans. During the post-mission press conference, Commander Reid Wiseman explained another use of the device: “Using this device for the past two years has allowed us to regain focus whenever we get distracted”.
According to NASA, actigraph data collected during the flight will be compared to motor coordination tests and pre- and post-launch questionnaires. The goal is to optimize the design of future spacecraft to ensure safety on long-duration missions. “What we learn will help us understand how astronauts can survive and thrive further away from Earth”, states the agency.
Journey to space
The actigraph’s trajectory began with Pedrazzoli’s need to conduct studies carried out within the scope of – a Research, Innovation and Diffusion Center financed by Fapesp and linked to the Federal University of São Paulo. The first prototypes were used to evaluate the impact of daylight saving time on the population.
“We realized that it was necessary to scale production to meet our research and have specialized technical support“, explains the professor. Recommended by , a professor at the USP Polytechnic School, Pedrazzoli met Okamoto and , then master’s students at Poli-USP, interested in opening a technological startup. With the support of the PIPE-FAPESP program, the engineers transformed the prototype into a high-precision commercial product.
“After the first prototypes with machined parts, we sought investment from FAPESP’s PIPE to make the business viable“, says Okamoto. Today, the startup exports 80% of its production, 200 to 300 devices per month, to more than 40 countries, serving large universities and research centers. The device is applied in studies ranging from the myopia epidemic in Asia to the recovery of premature babies in neonatal ICUs.
The goal now is to maintain the partnership with NASA for the next stages of the Artemis campaign, including the landing on the south pole of the Moon scheduled for 2028. “We will do everything we can to continue as a supplier to the agency”, says Okamoto.
Example of success
In the opinion of , coordinator of Fapesp’s Innovation Technologies and Partnerships area, Condor Instruments’ participation in the Artemis 2 mission is the materialization of what Fapesp seeks with the Piper program: transforming bench science into national technological sovereignty.
“It is essential to highlight that the program’s support was one of the foundations at the beginning of the company’s formation, when technological risk is higher and private capital is still scarce. This initial funding made it possible to transform an academic prototype into a commercial product of extreme precision”, says Azevedo.
The company’s success also brings an important lesson about the nature of innovation: financing needs to arrive early, but high-impact results can take time to mature, says Azevedo.
“Between the first prototypes supported by Pipe and the announcement that Brazilian technology is monitoring astronauts in deep space, the startup has been on a journey of years of research and refinement. This reaffirms that disruptive innovation requires strategic patience and continuous investment so that we can reap the rewards that elevate Brazil’s name on the international stage.“, it says.
This text was originally published by Agência Fapesp, on April 29, 2026. The content is free for republication, with the source cited, and was adapted to the Poder360 standard.
