Extended Reality Applications for Space Health.

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Medicine
• Human Health in Space
• Extended Reality Technologies

Background:

• Spaceflight poses significant health risks to astronauts, including physiological changes and psychological stressors.
• Current medical care capabilities in space are limited, necessitating innovative support strategies.
• Extended reality (XR) technologies offer potential solutions for space health challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the scientific literature on XR applications in space health.
• To analyze the methodological and design characteristics of existing XR studies in aerospace.
• To inform future research and development for improved space health and crew performance.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of XR applications in space health.
• Analysis of study designs, methodologies, and reported outcomes.
• Synthesis of findings to identify trends and gaps in current research.

Main Results:

• A limited but growing body of research explores XR for space health applications.
• XR technologies are being investigated for astronaut training, clinical support, and operational assistance.
• Further research is needed to fully understand XR's impact on crew safety and performance.

Conclusions:

• XR technologies hold significant potential for enhancing astronaut health, safety, and performance during space missions.
• A comprehensive understanding of XR's benefits requires more rigorous research and development.
• Future efforts should focus on optimizing XR integration for long-duration space exploration.