NASA floating 'happy' spacesuits to fight astronaut depression

As Elton John sang in "Rocket Man," it can get lonely out in space.

Now imagine if you had a specialized spacesuit that was in tune with your moods and wanted to help keep you both comfortable and happy. It would be like having the empath Deanna Troi from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" with you as you float in zero gravity.

Researchers at Florida Polytechnic University are developing "Smart Sensory Skin" (S3) technology that uses wireless sensors to track physical and emotional changes in astronauts and adjust their environments to compensate.

The sensor data could be used to trigger changes in temperature, a reduction or increase in light exposure or an adjustment of oxygen levels, among other variables.

"The types of problems you may encounter are a decline in mood, cognition, morale, or interpersonal interaction," NASA says in a look at the potential impacts of time in space on the human body. Isolation, confinement, sleep disorders, monotony and fatigue can all contribute to the development of depression in astronauts.