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Sensorimotor performance and haptic support in simulated weightlessness.

Bernhard Weber¹, Michael Panzirsch², Freek Stulp²

¹German Aerospace Center, Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. Bernhard.Weber@dlr.de.

Experimental Brain Research

|August 9, 2020

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Astronaut sensorimotor performance declines in simulated weightlessness. Optimal haptic feedback, like motion damping, can aid tracking but not fully restore performance, with proprioception changes being a key factor.

Keywords:

Aerospace simulation Force feedback Haptic interfaces Sensorimotor performance Water immersion Weightlessness

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Area of Science:

Human Factors and Performance
Spaceflight Physiology
Human-Machine Interaction

Background:

Space missions rely on astronaut performance, which is impaired by weightlessness.
Astronauts train in simulated weightlessness using underwater environments.
Sensorimotor skills are crucial for mission success and are affected by altered gravity.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate sensorimotor performance in simulated weightlessness.
To determine if haptic feedback settings can improve performance in simulated weightlessness.
To understand the mechanisms behind sensorimotor degradation in altered gravity.

Main Methods:

Twenty-two participants performed aiming and tracking tasks.
Tasks were conducted on land and in shallow water immersion (simulated weightlessness).
A force feedback joystick with various haptic settings (no haptics, spring stiffness, motion damping) was used.

Main Results:

Water immersion degraded sensorimotor performance for both aiming and tracking tasks.
Higher motion damping improved tracking performance in both land and water conditions.
Performance losses in simulated weightlessness could not be fully compensated by haptic settings.

Conclusions:

Altered proprioception due to changes in muscle spindle activity is the primary cause of impaired sensorimotor performance in simulated weightlessness.
While haptic feedback can offer some benefits, it does not fully mitigate performance deficits.
Findings offer insights into the mechanisms underlying sensorimotor challenges in spaceflight preparation.