An actigraph is a wearable device used for continuous monitoring of sleep, motor activity, light exposure, and biological rhythms. Widely applied in clinical and scientific research, the equipment allows for tracking physiological patterns in real-world environments, including studies related to health, chronobiology, and long-duration space missions.
The United States space agency used a device developed by a startup supported by PIPE-FAPESP to monitor the sleep patterns, physical activity, and crew interactions of the Artemis II mission.(Photo: NASA/Disclosure)
Brazilian technology helps NASA plan future Moon missions
April 28, 2026
Elton Alisson | Research for Innovation– Just a few hours before the Orion spacecraft crossed the skies of Florida, United States, last April 1st, heading for the Moon, mechatronics engineerRodrigo Trevisan Okamotoreceived, in São Paulo, confirmation he had been awaiting since the announcement of the Artemis II mission in 2023. An email from NASA informed him that the crew of the first manned flight around the satellite in half a century would carry a device developed by him and his team at the São Paulo startup Condor Instruments, withsupportprogram initializationInnovative Research in Small Businesses (Pipe) from FAPESP.
“NASA’s announcement was sudden and took us by surprise. And only after the mission’s conclusion did we learn that the astronauts had already been using the equipment in tests for the past two years,” Okamoto said.Research for Innovation.
Called an actigraph, the device is shaped like a wristwatch and integrates accelerometers and light and temperature sensors to map the user’s sleep and wake patterns with high precision over days or weeks.
Its 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 rest periods (absence of movement) and readiness periods (presence of movement), accurately recording the individual’s circadian behavior.
This approximately 24-hour “biological clock,” which regulates the physical and behavioral functions of most living beings, is primarily influenced by light. To monitor it, the device features ten onboard sensors that detect light exposure across different spectral ranges. This data is crucial, as it allows for the characterization of not only light intensity 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 Earth’s rotation, and it’s from this cycle that the brain anticipates sleep time. In space, this reference is lost, as astronauts can remain in constant light or darkness, depending on their position relative to the Sun,” he explains.Mario Pedrazzoli Neto, a professor at the University of São Paulo’s School of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities (EACH-USP). An expert in chronobiology — the science that studies the rhythms and internal biological clock of living beings — Pedrazzoli led studies that formed the basis for the development of the Brazilian actigraph.
I am unregulated
On the International Space Station (ISS), for example, astronauts witness 16 sunrises and sunsets per day, phenomena that can severely disrupt their sleep-wake cycle. To mitigate this stress, light-emitting diode (LED) systems have been installed on the station that simulate the Earth’s cycle, aiding the crew’s sleep hygiene.
“Due to these factors and others still under investigation, such as the effect of gravity, astronauts tend to experience sleep deprivation. In space, rest is inherently dysregulated,” states Pedrazzoli.
As sleep deprivation causes cognitive and motor deficits that can compromise long-duration missions, agencies like NASA commonly conduct studies to evaluate how irregular light cycles and sleep disturbances impact the human body, leading to short- and long-term health risks, the researcher explains.
Researchers associated with the agency are investigating, for example, how factors such as light and caffeine consumption affect the biological clocks of crews and influence sleep quality.
“Chronobiology was born with NASA funding, precisely because of the need to understand how astronauts sleep in space,” emphasizes Pedrazzoli.
For the Artemis campaign, the American space agency began a study in 2023 to monitor astronauts’ well-being, activity levels, sleep patterns, and interactions. The motivation for the project, named ArcherArtemis Research for Crew Health and Readiness), reside in the critical environment of the Orion capsule: a confined and reduced space where the crew will face prolonged biological and psychological challenges, including isolation and radiation on deep space missions.
To make the study feasible, NASA engineers searched the global market for actigraphy devices capable of real-time crew monitoring. The device from Condor Instruments caught the agency’s attention after representatives from the startup participated in international scientific congresses on chronobiology, sleep, and light.
“In 2023, they contacted us seeking a new supplier. Initially, they made a small purchase for the science and engineering sectors. Since then, we’ve been in various meetings as the project evolved. The device underwent rigorous testing to assess if the data met mission needs and if it was safe and reliable for flight,” recalls Okamoto.
Although there was an indication of its use on Artemis II since the end of 2025, the official confirmation only came on launch day. “Only when the ship took off did we know the device was actually on board,” says the engineer.
Technological differentials
According to Okamoto, the Brazilian actigraph stands out from its international competitors by integrating the monitoring of motor activity, light exposure, and skin temperature. This latter data point is crucial, as human body temperature drops by 1 ºC to 2 ºC during sleep, a physiological process of the circadian cycle that promotes relaxation and energy conservation.
Another differential is the measurement of melanopic light—the blue-cyan light spectrum (around 490 nanometers) that impacts the human non-visual system. This light activates photosensitive ganglionic 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 precisely at this wavelength. That’s why using these devices at night radically alters the brain’s sleep regulation,” warns Pedrazzoli.
The device also features an event button, activated synchronously by astronauts during historic moments, such as on April 6th, when Orion reached 406,777 km from Earth—the farthest point ever reached by humans. During the post-mission press conference, Commander Reid Wiseman highlighted another use for the device: “Using this device over the last two years allowed us to regain focus whenever we got 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 from Earth,” the agency stated.siteto the Archer project.
Journey to space
The actigraph’s trajectory began out of a need by Pedrazzoli in conducting studies within the scope ofSleep Studies Center— A Research, Innovation, and Dissemination Center (CEPIDfunded by FAPESP between 2000 and 2012 and linked to the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp). The first prototypes were used to assess the impact of daylight saving time on the population.
“We realized that we needed to scale production to meet our research needs and have specialized technical support,” explains the professor. On the recommendation ofArturo Forner-Cordero, Pedrazzoli, a professor at USP’s Polytechnic School, met Okamoto and Luis Filipe Rossi, who were then master’s students at Poli-USP and interested in starting a tech startup. With support from the PIPE-FAPESP program, the engineers turned the prototype into a high-precision commercial product.
“After the first prototypes with machined parts, we sought funding from FAPESP’s PIPE program to make the business viable,” says Okamoto. Today, the startup exports 80% devices—200 to 300 units per month—to more than 40 countries, serving major universities and research centers. The device is used 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 Moon’s south pole planned for 2028. “We will do everything we can to continue as suppliers for the agency,” concludes Okamoto.
Success story
In the evaluation ofRodolfo Azevedo, coordinator of the area of Technologies and Innovation Partnerships at FAPESP, Condor Instruments’ participation in the Artemis II mission is the materialization of what FAPESP seeks with the PIPE-FAPESP program: to transform bench science into national technological sovereignty.
“It is essential to highlight that the program’s support was one of the cornerstones at the company’s inception, when technological risk is higher and private capital is still scarce. This initial funding allowed us to transform an academic prototype into an extremely precise commercial product,” states Azevedo.
The company’s success also offers an important lesson about the nature of innovation: funding needs to come early, but high-impact results can take time to mature, Azevedo assesses.
“Between the first prototypes supported by PIPE and the announcement that Brazilian technology is monitoring astronauts in deep space, the startup has journeyed through years of research and refinement. This reaffirms that disruptive innovation requires strategic patience and continuous investment so that we can reap fruits that elevate Brazil’s name on the international stage,” he concludes.
Source: FAPESP (https://pesquisaparainovacao.fapesp.br/tecnologia_brasileira_ajuda_a_nasa_a_planejar_proximas_missoes_a_lua/4018)
