Assembly, Bioinstrumentation, Skylab 4

This biobelt set was returned from the Skylab 4 mission. Astronauts on the Skylab missions of 1973-1974 wore a set of small biomedical devices to monitor their condition during launch, extravehicular activity, return, and occasional checkups. The biobelt and sternal harness assembly included an electrocardiogram to record heartbeat, a cardiotachometer for heart rate, an impedance pneumograph for respiration rate, and two sets of electrodes. The electrodes attached to the crewmember's chest and plugged into the instruments on the biobelt, which was snapped onto an undergarment. The cable bundle from the biobelt connected to a communications cable for data transmission to medical staff on the ground. The biobelt enabled basic biomedical monitoring during critical phases of the mission and also supported the Skylab goal of understanding the body's response to long-duration spaceflight.

NASA transferred it to the Smithsonian Institution in 1977.