Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Human System”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 739 records · Page 41
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2008

Functional Mobility Testing: A Novel Method to Create Suit Design Requirements

This study was performed to aide in the creation of design requirements for the next generation of space suits that more accurately describe the level of mobility necessary for a suited crewmember through the use of an innovative methodology utilizing functional mobility. A novel method was utilized involving the collection of kinematic data while 20 subjects (10 male, 10 female) performed pertinent functional tasks that will be required of a suited crewmember during various phases of a lunar mission. These tasks were selected based on relevance and criticality from a larger list of tasks that may be carried out by the crew. Kinematic data was processed through Vicon BodyBuilder software to calculate joint angles for the ankle, knee, hip, torso, shoulder, elbow, and wrist. Maximum functional mobility was consistently lower than maximum isolated mobility. This study suggests that conventional methods for establishing design requirements for human-systems interfaces based on maximal isolated joint capabilities may overestimate the required mobility. Additionally, this method provides a valuable means of evaluating systems created from these requirements by comparing the mobility available in a new spacesuit, or the mobility required to use a new piece of hardware, to this newly established database of functional mobility.

England, Scott A.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Generation of Boundary Manikin Anthropometry

The purpose of this study was to develop 3D digital boundary manikins that are representative of the anthropometry of a unique population. These digital manikins can be used by designers to verify and validate that the components of the spacesuit design satisfy the requirements specified in the Human Systems Integration Requirements (HSIR) document. Currently, the HSIR requires the suit to accommodate the 1st percentile American female to the 99th percentile American male. The manikin anthropometry was derived using two methods: Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Whole Body Posture Based Analysis (WBPBA). PCA is a statistical method for reducing a multidimensional data set by using eigenvectors and eigenvalues. The goal is to create a reduced data set that encapsulates the majority of the variation in the population. WBPBA is a multivariate analytical approach that was developed by the Anthropometry and Biomechanics Facility (ABF) to identify the extremes of the population for a given body posture. WBPBA is a simulation-based method that finds extremes in a population based on anthropometry and posture whereas PCA is based solely on anthropometry. Both methods yield a list of subjects and their anthropometry from the target population; PCA resulted in 20 female and 22 male subjects anthropometry and WBPBA resulted in 7 subjects' anthropometry representing the extreme subjects in the target population. The subjects anthropometry is then used to 'morph' a baseline digital scan of a person with the same body type to create a 3D digital model that can be used as a tool for designers, the details of which will be discussed in subsequent papers.

Young, Karen S.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Human Space Flight Challenges: Get a Leg Up

This viewgraph presentation reviews some of the challenges that spaceflight imposes on the Human system. It describes four of the signs and symptoms of fluid shift in the astronaut when they fly in low earth orbit. It describes how the leg muscles influence blood flow It also outlines the four phases of "fluid shift" and where the majority of the central volume of blood is located in the body And it reviews other changes to the body systems as a result of Fluid Shift

Lloyd, Charles W.↗
NASA NTRS2008

NASA and Caterpillar: An Innovative Partnership

This viewgraph presentation reviews the partnership between NASA and the Caterpillar Corporation. Through the Innovative Partnerships Program (IPP) NASA is providing leveraged technology for projects that are new initiatives that enhance NASA's ability to meet mission technology goals by providing seed funding to initiate cost-shared, joint-development partnerships. This relationship will assist NASA in the development of lunar In Situ resource utilization (ISRU) and surface handling equipment control and hardware requirements and the human-system interaction processes for time delayed remote operations.

Savely, Robert T.↗
NASA NTRS2006

HSI Guidelines Outline for the Air Vehicle Control Station. Version 2

This document provides guidance to the FAA and manufacturers on how to develop UAS Pilot Vehicle Interfaces to safely and effectively integrate UASs into the NAS. Preliminary guidelines are provided for Aviate, Communicate, Navigate and Avoid Hazard functions. The pilot shall have information and control capability so that pilot-UA interactions are not adverse, unfavorable, nor compromise safety. Unfavorable interactions include anomalous aircraft-pilot coupling (APC) interactions (closed loop), pilot-involved oscillations (categories I, II or III), and non-oscillatory APC events (e.g., divergence). - Human Systems Integration Pilot-Technology Interface Requirements for Command, Control, and Communications (C3)

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2005

Step 1: C3 Flight Demo Data Analysis Plan

The Data Analysis Plan (DAP) describes the data analysis that the C3 Work Package (WP) will perform in support of the Access 5 Step 1 C3 flight demonstration objectives as well as the processes that will be used by the Flight IPT to gather and distribute the data collected to satisfy those objectives. In addition to C3 requirements, this document will encompass some Human Systems Interface (HSI) requirements in performing the C3 flight demonstrations. The C3 DAP will be used as the primary interface requirements document between the C3 Work Package and Flight Test organizations (Flight IPT and Non-Access 5 Flight Programs). In addition to providing data requirements for Access 5 flight test (piggyback technology demonstration flights, dedicated C3 technology demonstration flights, and Airspace Operations Demonstration flights), the C3 DAP will be used to request flight data from Non- Access 5 flight programs for C3 related data products

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2008

Heart Rhythm Monitoring in the Constellation Lunar and Launch/Landing EVA Suit: Recommendations from an Expert Panel

Currently there are several physiological monitoring requirements for Extravehicular Activity (EVA) in the Human-Systems Interface Requirements (HSIR) document, including continuous heart rhythm monitoring. However, it is not known whether heart rhythm monitoring in the lunar surface space suit is a necessary capability for lunar surface operations or in launch/landing suit the event of a cabin depressurization enroute to or from the moon. Methods: Current US astronaut corps demographic information was provided to an expert panel of cardiovascular medicine experts, including specialists in electrophysiology, exercise physiology, interventional cardiology and arrhythmia. This information included averages for male/female age, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, cholesterol, inflammatory markers, echocardiogram, ranges for coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores for long duration astronauts, and ranges for heart rate (HR) and metabolic (MET) rates obtained during microgravity and lunar EVA. Results: The panel determined that no uncontrolled hazard was likely to occur in the suit during lunar surface or contingency microgravity ops that would require ECG monitoring in the highly screened US astronaut population. However having the capability for rhythm monitoring inside the vehicle (IVA) was considered critical to manage an astronaut in distress. Discussion: Heart rate (HR) monitoring alone allows effective monitoring of astronaut health and function. Consequently, electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring capability as a clinical tool is not essential in the lunar or launch/landing space suit. However, the panel considered that rhythm monitoring could be useful in certain clinical situations, it was not considered required for safe operations. Also, lunar vehicles should be required to have ECG monitoring capability with a minimum of 5-lead ECG (derived 12- lead) for IVA medical assessments.

Scheuring, Richard A.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Usability: Human Research Program - Space Human Factors and Habitability

The Usability project addresses the need for research in the area of metrics and methodologies used in hardware and software usability testing in order to define quantifiable and verifiable usability requirements. A usability test is a human-in-the-loop evaluation where a participant works through a realistic set of representative tasks using the hardware/software under investigation. The purpose of this research is to define metrics and methodologies for measuring and verifying usability in the aerospace domain in accordance with FY09 focus on errors, consistency, and mobility/maneuverability. Usability metrics must be predictive of success with the interfaces, must be easy to obtain and/or calculate, and must meet the intent of current Human Systems Integration Requirements (HSIR). Methodologies must work within the constraints of the aerospace domain, be cost and time efficient, and be able to be applied without extensive specialized training.

Sandor, Aniko↗
NASA NTRS2009

Heart Rhythm Monitoring in the Constellation Lunar and Launch/Landing EVA Suit: Recommendations from an Expert Panel

There are currently several physiological monitoring requirements for EVA in the Human-Systems Interface Requirements (HSIR) document. There are questions as to whether the capability to monitor heart rhythm in the lunar surface space suit is a necessary capability for lunar surface operations. Similarly, there are questions as to whether the capability to monitor heart rhythm during a cabin depressurization scenario in the launch/landing space suit is necessary. This presentation seeks to inform space medicine personnel of recommendations made by an expert panel of cardiovascular medicine specialists regarding in-suit ECG heart rhythm monitoring requirements during lunar surface operations. After a review of demographic information and clinical cases and panel discussion, the panel recommended that ECG monitoring capability as a clinical tool was not essential in the lunar space suit; ECG monitoring was not essential in the launch/landing space suit for contingency scenarios; the current hear rate monitoring capability requirement for both launch/landing and lunar space suits should be maintained; lunar vehicles should be required to have ECG monitoring capability with a minimum of 5-lead ECG for IVA medical assessments; and, exercise stress testing for astronaut selection and retention should be changed from the current 85% maximum heart rate limit to maximal, exhaustive 'symptom-limited' testing to maximize diagnostic utility as a screening tool for evaluating the functional capacity of astronauts and their cardiovascular health.

Scheuring, Richard A.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Crashworthy Seats Would Afford Superior Protection

Seats to prevent or limit crash injuries to astronauts aboard the crew vehicle of the Orion spacecraft are undergoing development. The design of these seats incorporates and goes beyond crash-protection concepts embodied in prior spacecraft and racing-car seats to afford superior protection against impacts. Although the seats are designed to support astronauts in a recumbent, quasi-fetal posture that would likely not be suitable for non-spacecraft applications, parts of the design could be adapted to military and some civilian aircraft seats and to racing car seats to increase levels of protection. The main problem in designing any crashworthy seat is to provide full support of the occupant against anticipated crash and emergency-landing loads so as to safely limit motion, along any axis, of any part of the occupant s body relative to (1) any other part of the occupant s body, (2) the spacecraft or other vehicle, and (3) the seat itself. In the original Orion spacecraft application and in other applications that could easily be envisioned, the problem is complicated by severe limits on space available for the seat, a requirement to enable rapid egress by the occupant after a crash, and a requirement to provide for fitting of the seat to a wide range of sizes and shapes of a human body covered by a crash suit, space suit, or other protective garment. The problem is further complicated by other Orion-application-specific requirements that must be omitted here for the sake of brevity. To accommodate the wide range of crewmember body lengths within the limits on available space in the original Orion application, the design provides for taller crewmembers to pull their legs back closer toward their chests, while shorter crewmembers can allow their legs to stretch out further. The range of hip-support seat adjustments needed to effect this accommodation, as derived from NASA s Human Systems Integration Standard, was found to define a parabolic path along which the knees must be positioned. For a given occupant, the specific position along the path depends on the distance from the heel to the back of the knee. The application of the concept of parabolic adjustment of the hip-support structure caused the seat pan to also take on a parabolic shape, yielding the unanticipated additional benefit that the seat pan fits the occupant s buttocks and thighs more nearly conformally than do seat pans of prior design. This more nearly conformal fit effectively eliminates a void between the occupant s body and the seat pan, thereby helping to prevent what, in prior seat designs, was shifting of the occupant s body into that void during an impact.

Gohmert, Dustin↗
NASA NTRS2009

Preliminary Results of the Effect of Spinal Elongation in Microgravity on Seated Height

The Constellation Program is designing a new vehicle for future space travel to the International Space Station and to the Moon and beyond. One major accommodation and design issue that needs to be addressed with the current seat layout design is spinal elongation. Spinal elongation is the spinal growth that occurs due to straightening of the spinal curve and expansion of the inter-verbal discs in microgravity. Spinal elongation is critical to the design of the seats, seat layout, suit fit, and crew accommodation because of the implications it can have on the a safe return of the crewmembers or during the mission. Inadequate clearance between crewmembers and/or between crewmember hardware interfaces may potentially result in injury during the mission or upon returning to earth. Therefore, design requirements need to be determined that will allow for the elongation of the spine. The current requirement as specified in the Human Systems Integration Requirement (HSIR) document states that a 3% increase in standing height must be accommodated. However, it cannot be assumed that the amount of standing height growth is equivalent to the amount of spinal elongation because of the variation in body proportions between the lower body and torso. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the amount of spinal elongation for a seated posture for 6 Shuttle and 7 ISS missions. Crewmembers seated heights were collected before, during, and after spaceflight to determine the change in seated height and the amount of spinal growth that occurs due to microgravity. The changes in seated height will provide the designers with a design requirement that will allow for change in spinal growth for a seated posture. Preliminary results have shown that increase in seated height is greater than the 3% increase currently stated in the requirement.

Rajulu, Sudhakar↗
NASA NTRS2009

Development of a Methodology to Gather Seated Anthropometry in a Microgravity Environment

The Constellation Program's Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) is required to accommodate the full population range of crewmembers according to the anthropometry requirements stated in the Human-Systems Integration Requirement (HSIR) document (CxP70024). Seated height is one of many critical dimensions of importance to the CEV designers in determining the optimum seat configuration in the vehicle. Changes in seated height may have a large impact to the design, accommodation, and safety of the crewmembers. Seated height can change due to elongation of the spine when crewmembers are exposed to microgravity. Spinal elongation is the straightening of the natural curvature of the spine and the expansion of inter-vertebral disks. This straightening occurs due to fluid shifts in the body and the lack of compressive forces on the spinal vertebrae. Previous studies have shown that as the natural curvature of the spine straightens, an increase in overall height of 3% of stature occurs which has been the basis of the current HSIR requirements. However due to variations in the torso/leg ratio and impact of soft tissue, data is nonexistent as to how spinal elongation specifically affects the measurement of seated height. In order to obtain this data, an experiment was designed to collect spinal elongation data while in a seated posture in microgravity. The purpose of this study was to provide quantitative data that represents the amount of change that occurs in seated height due to spinal elongation in microgravity environments. Given the schedule and budget constraints of ISS and Shuttle missions and the uniqueness of the problem, a methodology had to be developed to ensure that the seated height measurements were accurately collected. Therefore, simulated microgravity evaluations were conducted to test the methodology and procedures of the experiment. This evaluation obtained seat pan pressure and seated height data to a) ensure that the lap restraint provided sufficient restraint to eliminate any gap between the subject s gluteal surface and the seat pan and b) to document any necessary design and procedural changes needed due to the microgravity environment. The methodology and setup used during the simulated microgravity evaluations was replicable to the proposed methodology and setup for in-space missions. A flight-like Shuttle seat, pressure sensors, anthropometer, and existing hardware was used to measure seated height and contact area while experiencing microgravity. The outlying buttock and thigh surface contact areas were collected to determine if the subjects were in contact with the seat pan, while a measurer recorded their seated height with an anthropometer. The Anthropometry and Biomechanics Facility (ABF) completed data collection from three microgravity flights to assess the restraint methods and techniques to be used for the in-flight procedures performed by the crewmembers in orbit. The first flight demonstrated that the restraint system on the seat, used in a nominal configuration, did not sufficiently restrain a person in the seat. The results showed the subjects were not in full contact with the seat pan, resulting in inaccurate sitting height data. Thus, a second flight was conducted to test different restraint system options. The results showed that by 1) changing the restraint system from the nominal 3-points of the 5-point harness, which is used for crewmembers when fully suited with emergency equipment, and 2) rerouting the lap straps around the joint of the backrest, where the backrest and seat pan are joined, resulted in the optimal method to restrain a subject. This rerouting method allowed for the anchor location to change and pull the subjects back into the seat instead of being anchored at the side of the subjects thighs. The results from the third flight validated the final restraint system, which resulted in a verified methodology for collecting seated anthropometry to ultimately determine the amount of spil elongation in a microgravity environment.

Rajulu, Sudhakar↗
NASA NTRS2010

Human Habitation in a Lunar Electric Rover During a 14-Day Field Trial

Various military and commercial entities, as well as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), have conducted space cabin confinement studies. However, after an extensive literature search, only one study was found using a simulated lunar rover (LUNEX II), under laboratory conditions, with a crew of two for an eighteen day lunar mission. Forty-three years later, NASA human factors engineers conducted a similar study using the Lunar Electric Rover (LER) in a dynamic real-world lunar simulation at the Black Point Lava Flow in Arizona. The objective of the study was to obtain human-in-the-loop performance data on the vehicle s interior volume with respect to human-system interfaces, crew accommodations, and habitation over a 14-day mission. Though part of a larger study including 212 overall operational elements, this paper will discuss only the performance of fifty different daily habitational elements within the confines of the vehicle carried out by two male subjects. Objective timing data and subjective questionnaire data were collected. Results indicate, much like the LUNEX II study, the LER field study suggest that a crew of two was able to maintain a satisfactory performance of tasks throughout the 14-day field trail within a relative small vehicle volume.

Litaker, Harry, Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Cabin Noise Studies for the Orion Spacecraft Crew Module

Controlling cabin acoustic noise levels in the Crew Module (CM) of the Orion spacecraft is critical for adequate speech intelligibility, to avoid fatigue and to prevent any possibility of temporary and permanent hearing loss. A vibroacoustic model of the Orion CM cabin has been developed using Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) to assess compliance with acoustic Constellation Human Systems Integration Requirements (HSIR) for the on-orbit mission phase. Cabin noise in the Orion CM needs to be analyzed at the vehicle-level to assess the cumulative acoustic effect of various Orion systems at the crewmember's ear. The SEA model includes all major structural and acoustic subsystems inside the CM including the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS), which is the primary noise contributor in the cabin during the on-orbit phase. The ECLSS noise sources used to excite the vehicle acoustic model were derived using a combination of established empirical predictions and fan development acoustic testing. Baseline noise predictions were compared against acoustic HSIR requirements. Key noise offenders and paths were identified and ranked using noise transfer path analysis. Parametric studies were conducted with various acoustic treatment packages in the cabin to reduce the noise levels and define vehicle-level mass impacts. An acoustic test mockup of the CM cabin has also been developed and noise treatment optimization tests were conducted to validate the results of the analyses.

Dandaroy, Indranil↗
NASA NTRS2011

Evaluation of High Density Air Traffic Operations with Automation for Separation Assurance, Weather Avoidance and Schedule Conformance

In this paper we discuss the development and evaluation of our prototype technologies and procedures for far-term air traffic control operations with automation for separation assurance, weather avoidance and schedule conformance. Controller-in-the-loop simulations in the Airspace Operations Laboratory at the NASA Ames Research Center in 2010 have shown very promising results. We found the operations to provide high airspace throughput, excellent efficiency and schedule conformance. The simulation also highlighted areas for improvements: Short-term conflict situations sometimes resulted in separation violations, particularly for transitioning aircraft in complex traffic flows. The combination of heavy metering and growing weather resulted in an increased number of aircraft penetrating convective weather cells. To address these shortcomings technologies and procedures have been improved and the operations are being re-evaluated with the same scenarios. In this paper we will first describe the concept and technologies for automating separation assurance, weather avoidance, and schedule conformance. Second, the results from the 2010 simulation will be reviewed. We report human-systems integration aspects, safety and efficiency results as well as airspace throughput, workload, and operational acceptability. Next, improvements will be discussed that were made to address identified shortcomings. We conclude that, with further refinements, air traffic control operations with ground-based automated separation assurance can routinely provide currently unachievable levels of traffic throughput in the en route airspace.

Prevot, Thomas↗
NASA NTRS2013

Human Centered Hardware Modeling and Collaboration

In order to collaborate engineering designs among NASA Centers and customers, to in clude hardware and human activities from multiple remote locations, live human-centered modeling and collaboration across several sites has been successfully facilitated by Kennedy Space Center. The focus of this paper includes innovative a pproaches to engineering design analyses and training, along with research being conducted to apply new technologies for tracking, immersing, and evaluating humans as well as rocket, vehic le, component, or faci lity hardware utilizing high resolution cameras, motion tracking, ergonomic analysis, biomedical monitoring, wor k instruction integration, head-mounted displays, and other innovative human-system integration modeling, simulation, and collaboration applications.

Stambolian Damon↗
NASA NTRS2013

Ubiquitous Wireless Smart Sensing and Control

Need new technologies to reliably and safely have humans interact within sensored environments (integrated user interfaces, physical and cognitive augmentation, training, and human-systems integration tools). Areas of focus include: radio frequency identification (RFID), motion tracking, wireless communication, wearable computing, adaptive training and decision support systems, and tele-operations. The challenge is developing effective, low cost/mass/volume/power integrated monitoring systems to assess and control system, environmental, and operator health; and accurately determining and controlling the physical, chemical, and biological environments of the areas and associated environmental control systems.

Wagner, Raymond↗
NASA NTRS2014

Definition ofthe Design Trajectory and Entry Flight Corridor for the NASA Orion Exploration Mission 1 Entry Trajectory Using an Integrated Approach and Optimization

One of the key design objectives of NASA's Orion Exploration Mission 1 (EM- 1) is to execute a guided entry trajectory demonstrating GN&C capability. The focus of this paper is defining the flyable entry corridor for EM-1 taking into account multiple subsystem constraints such as complex aerothermal heating constraints, aerothermal heating objectives, landing accuracy constraints, structural load limits, Human-System-Integration-Requirements, Service Module debris disposal limits and other flight test objectives. During the EM-1 Design Analysis Cycle 1 design challenges came up that made defining the flyable entry corridor for the EM-1 mission critical to mission success. This document details the optimization techniques that were explored to use with the 6-DOF ANTARES simulation to assist in defining the design entry interface state and entry corridor with respect to key flight test constraints and objectives.

McNamara, Luke W.↗