Online Press Briefing: 19:00-20:00 (EST), Nov. 11th, 2022
Press Release on 20:00 (EST), Nov. 11th, 2022

PARO Therapeutic Robots and EmbracePlus used to investigate mental
health benefits of Robotic Pet Therapy in space missions

Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah, US(The picture is from the Facebook of “MDRS-Mars Desert Research Station”)
Analog Space missions are analogous to real Space missions and have been used for decades
by NASA, academics and private industry as well as individuals to test equipment, conduct scientificresearch and investigate human factors. Preparing on Earth for Space!
The Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), which is owned and operated by the Mars Society,is located in the Mars-like terrain of southern Utah. An all-female crew of 6 will carry out an analog
mission at the MDRS facility involving isolation and human factor studies for two weeks in thesecond half of November.
http://mdrs.marssociety.org/
One of the toughest challenges that analog crews face are behavioral issues related to mental
health due to the isolation in a closed, confined space. The crew will use the PARO therapeuticrobot to investigate whether it can improve feelings of stress and loneliness. The crew's digitalbiomarkers will be monitored using Empatica’s EmbracePlus wearable device. The results will becorrelated with the interaction with PARO and the crew's daily journals.
NASA pointed out what hazards Analog Missions could test, and one of them was“Isolation/Confinement”. Behavioral issues among groups of people occupying a small space overa long time, no matter how well trained they are, are inevitable. The “possible hazards” are that adecline in mood, cognition, morale, or interpersonal interaction, sleep disorder, depression, fatigue,boredom. The more confined and isolated humans are, the more likely they are to develop

Online Press Briefing: 19:00-20:00 (EST), Nov. 11th, 2022
Press Release on 20:00 (EST), Nov. 11th, 2022
behavioral or cognitive conditions.
https://www.nasa.gov/analogs/what-are-analog-missions

PARO Robot, a biofeedback medical device (AIST)

PARO for Ukrainian Refugees in Poland(Medical University of Warsaw, Poland)

EmbracePlus (Empatica)
Ms. Jas Purewal, Scientific Officer of Crew 268, said "We will be testing for Quality Improvement
for future research the PARO medical device and take measurement of stress response using theEmpatica EmbracePlus wearable in analog missions in Poland and the South Pacific.”
PARO Therapeutic Robot for Biofeedback Therapy
PARO is a baby seal robot inspired by “animal pet therapy”, and has been a neurologicalbiofeedback medical device in Class 2 by the FDA, the US since 2009. PARO is also a psychophysiological biofeedback medical device in Europe, Australia and some other countries, exceptJapan.
In the US, PARO can be prescribed, as a non-pharmacological biofeedback therapy for various
kinds of patients from children to elderly, who are diagnosed with symptoms such as anxiety, pain,depression, insomnia and/or agitation such as violent behaviors and abusive speech.
Reimbursement for licensed treatment of “biofeedback therapy with PARO” can be accepted by theMedicare, Medicaid and private medical insurance companies.
Because PARO is recognized as a psycho-physiological biofeedback medical device in Europe,

Online Press Briefing: 19:00-20:00 (EST), Nov. 11th, 2022
Press Release on 20:00 (EST), Nov. 11th, 2022
it is being used for improving mood, anxiety, depression, stress, and other symptoms of PTSD
among Ukrainian refugees in psychiatric hospitals and other facilities in Poland since June of 2022.
From 2006 to 2007, at the Showa Station in the Antarctica, PARO had been used for Japanese
Crew to improve their moods and to encourage communication for bonding.
PARO has been developed by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science andTechnology (AIST) in Japan since 1993. Intellectual properties on PARO were licensed to Intelligent
System Co., Ltd. and PARO was commercialized in 2005 in Japan. Then, after further
enhancements, research, and regulatory review it is now distributed in more than 30 countries.
PARO Robots (Intelligent System Co., Ltd. in Japan): http://parorobots.com
AIST: https://www.aist.go.jp/index_en.html
Medical University of Warsaw: https://www.wum.edu.pl/en/node/17161
EmbracePlus by Empatica
EmbracePlus is an award-winning medical-grade smartwatch that offers continuous clinicalquality health measurements from the wrist. EmbracePlus, is CE-marked in Europe, and developedwith key US partners including HHS, USAMRDC, and the NASA-funded Translational ResearchInstitute for Space Health.
It is the only wrist-worn wearable of its kind that can provide continuous measurements from awide array of sensors: a custom-made PPG (Photoplethysmography) sensor, an EDA(Electrodermal Activity) sensor, a high-precision 3D microelectromechanical accelerometer andgyroscope, and a digital thermometer.
These enable the simultaneous monitoring of Pulse Rate, Pulse Rate Variability, IBI (Inter-beatInterval), skin temperature, respiration rate, oxygen saturation, movement, rest, stress, and otherdigital biomarkers.
EmbracePlus is made by Empatica, a full-stack digital healthcare company and a pioneer indigital biomarker development and continuous patient monitoring driven by AI.
Empatica’s platform consists of medical-grade smartwatches, software, and physiological andbehavioral digital biomarkers. Together they enable the continuous remote monitoring of humanhealth across a range of conditions, through clinical-quality digital measurements.
Empatica’s solutions are currently being used by thousands of research partners, institutions,and patients, to run decentralized clinical trials, develop novel digital biomarkers, conduct academic
research with real-world data, and monitor neurological conditions.
Empatica: https://www.empatica.com/
List of Crew 268 is attached.
Online Press Briefing: 19:00-20:00 (EST), Nov. 11th, 2022
Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/5359818246?pwd=RTNiUjVlUW9sU2lBdzYwOWgzSm5nQT09
Meeting ID: 535 981 8246
Password: 008022
Contacts for Inquiries and Request of Pictures:
On Analog Space Mission: Ms. Jas Purewal:
jasu.nildram@gmail.com
On PARO: Dr. Takanori Shibata, Chief Senior Research Scientist, AIST:
shibata-takanori@aist.go.jp or shibata210@gmail.com
Mobile Phone: +81-50-3573-0007
On EmbracePlus: Ms. Marianna Xenophontos, Director of Marketing, Empatica:
mx@empatica.com