G Protection When Adding Pressurized Sleeves and Gloves to a Representative G-Suit Ensemble.

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Medicine
• Human Factors Engineering

Background:

• Previous research indicated pressurized sleeves and gloves reduce G-induced arm pain.
• This equipment functions similarly to a G suit for the arms and hands.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if higher inflation pressures in pressurized sleeves and gloves enhance G protection.
• To evaluate the impact of this equipment on G tolerance and endurance.

Main Methods:

• 15 trained subjects were exposed to various G-force profiles (gradual, rapid onset, straining, aerial combat maneuvers) up to +9 Gz in a human-rated centrifuge.
• Exposures were conducted both with and without pressurized sleeves and gloves (Combat Edge and ATAGS).

Main Results:

• No significant improvement in G tolerance or endurance was observed with pressurized sleeves and gloves.
• Subjects exhibited significantly lower heart rates (6-12%) and reported reduced subjective effort (11%).
• Slightly less peripheral vision loss and a trend towards shorter tracking task times (due to reduced hand mobility) were noted.

Conclusions:

• Pressurized sleeves and gloves did not enhance G tolerance or endurance.
• The equipment reduced physiological workload, evidenced by lower heart rates and subjective effort.
• Potential hand mobility limitations may impact performance in tasks requiring fine motor control.