Expansionary Institute

Michael Zey
futurist3000@aol.com

July 11, 2001 08:00 CDT

PHOTO:

Although life on the International Space Station may
sound glamorous, just moving from one section of the
spacecraft to another could create real problems for
future crews.

Without gravity, astronauts can become disoriented and,
possibly, suffer space motion sickness. Inner ear and
disorientation problems can also lead to confusion when
performing simple tasks such as reaching for a control
or finding a tool.

"Our bodies are designed for Earth's gravity, and
gravity tells our brain which way we are oriented," said
Dr. Charles Oman, head of the National Space Biomedical
Research Institute's (NSBRI) Neurovestibular Adaptation
Team. "In space, your perception of down is constantly
changing as you rotate in the weightless environment.
Disorientation occurs because, without gravity, the
inner ear no longer provides the brain with information
about the body's 'up' or 'down' position."

Oman is leading a group of NSBRI researchers who are
trying to remedy disorientation problems by
investigating how a person uses their sense of where
they are relative to other objects and places. The group
is now developing a virtual-reality-training tool to
help astronauts learn techniques and pre-flight
strategies they can apply in space to help them work
their way through a large and complex space vehicle.

This type of disorientation can also cause problems if
astronauts need to exit the station in an emergency.

The Virtual-Reality Orientation and Navigation Trainer
is a head-mounted display that shows generic
computer-generated virtual-reality scenes. Users travel
a route through several modules and then must indicate
the direction home. The device tests how crewmembers
maintain orientation and learn to navigate within a
spacecraft.

"You have to use tricks to learn an area's layout, such
as choosing what distinguishing landmarks you can within
the station, that will help you understand your
orientation with respect to each module," said Oman, who
is also director of the Man Vehicle Laboratory at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "Space stations
tend to be visually ambiguous as the walls, ceiling and
floors are similar in color and size. Ideally, each
module should have cues to help the astronaut maintain a
sense of up and down when moving between modules."

The group is also looking in to the inner-ear factors
that cause confusion among astronauts. With nothing in
their visual field below them (except for Earth hundreds
of miles below) astronauts on spacewalks or on the
robotic arm have reported high-anxiety levels and the
illogical sense of falling.

In addition, members of Oman's team are working with
NASA investigators to develop a marking system that will
help lead astronauts to crew-return vehicles if an
emergency occurs.

The neurovestibular team's work is complemented by NSBRI
teams looking at other space health concerns such as
bone loss, cardiovascular changes, muscle wasting, sleep
disturbances, radiation exposure, infections and immune
response. While focusing on space health issues, the
institute will quickly transfer the solutions to Earth
patients suffering from similar conditions.

Source: Press Release
Cosmiverse Staff Writer
                     

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