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At least 1,693 records · Page 94

An aerobot for global in situ exploration of Titan

This paper describes the design and component testing of an aerobot that would be capable of global in situ exploration of Saturn's moon, Titan, over a 6 to 12 month mission lifetime. The proposed aerobot is a propeller-driven, buoyant vehicle that resembles terrestrial airships. However, the extremely cold Titan environment requires the use of cryogenic materials of construction and careful thermal design for protection of temperature-sensitive payload elements. Multiple candidate balloon materials have been identified based on extensive laboratory testing at 77 K. The most promising materials to date are laminates comprised of polyester fabrics and/or films with areal densities in the range of 40-100 g/m2. The aerobot hull is a streamlined ellipsoid 14 meters in length with a maximum diameter of 3 meters. The enclosed volume of 60 m3 is sufficient to float a mass of 234 kg at a maximum altitude of 8 km at Titan. Forward and aft ballonets are located inside the hull to enable the aerobot to descend to the surface while preserving a fully inflated streamlined shape. Altitude changes are effected primarily through thrust vectoring of the twin main propellers, with pressure modulated buoyancy change via the ballonets available as a slower backup option. A total of 100 W of electrical power is provided to the vehicle by a radioisotope power supply. Up to half of this power is available to the propulsion system to generate a top flight speed in the range of 1-2 m/s. This speed is expected to be greater than the near surface winds at Titan, enabling the aerobot to fly to and hover over targets of interest. A preliminary science payload has been devised for the aerobot to give it the capability for aerial imaging of the surface, atmospheric observations and sampling, and surface sample acquisition and analysis. Targeting, hovering, surface sample acquisition and vehicle health monitoring and automatic safing actions will all require significant on-board autonomy due to the over two hour round trip light time between Titan and Earth. An autonomy architecture and a core set of perception, reasoning and control technologies is under development using a free-flying airship testbed of approximately the same size as the proposed Titan aerobot. Data volume from the Titan science mission is expected to be on the order of 100-300 Mbit per day transmitted either direct to Earth through an 0.8 m high gain antenna or via an orbiter relay using an omni-directional antenna on the aerobot.

mobility↗

Real-time detection of moving objects from moving vehicles using dense stereo and optical flow

Dynamic scene perception is very important for autonomous vehicles operating around other moving vehicles and humans. Most work on real-time object tracking from moving platforms has used sparse features or assumed flat scene structures. We have recently extended a real-time, dense stereo system to include realtime, dense optical flow, enabling more comprehensive dynamic scene analysis. We describe algorithms to robustly estimate 6-DOF robot egomotion in the presence of moving objects using dense flow and dense stereo. We then use dense stereo and egomotion estimates to identify & other moving objects while the robot itself is moving. We present results showing accurate egomotion estimation and detection of moving people and vehicles under general 6-DOF motion of the robot and independently moving objects. The system runs at 18.3 Hz on a 1.4 GHz Pentium M laptop, computing 160x120 disparity maps and optical flow fields, egomotion, and moving object segmentation. We believe this is a significant step toward general unconstrained dynamic scene analysis for mobile robots, as well as for improved position estimation where GPS is unavailable.

egomotion↗

Sensing Super-Position: Human Sensing Beyond the Visual Spectrum

The coming decade of fast, cheap and miniaturized electronics and sensory devices opens new pathways for the development of sophisticated equipment to overcome limitations of the human senses. This paper addresses the technical feasibility of augmenting human vision through Sensing Super-position by mixing natural Human sensing. The current implementation of the device translates visual and other passive or active sensory instruments into sounds, which become relevant when the visual resolution is insufficient for very difficult and particular sensing tasks. A successful Sensing Super-position meets many human and pilot vehicle system requirements. The system can be further developed into cheap, portable, and low power taking into account the limited capabilities of the human user as well as the typical characteristics of his dynamic environment. The system operates in real time, giving the desired information for the particular augmented sensing tasks. The Sensing Super-position device increases the image resolution perception and is obtained via an auditory representation as well as the visual representation. Auditory mapping is performed to distribute an image in time. The three-dimensional spatial brightness and multi-spectral maps of a sensed image are processed using real-time image processing techniques (e.g. histogram normalization) and transformed into a two-dimensional map of an audio signal as a function of frequency and time. This paper details the approach of developing Sensing Super-position systems as a way to augment the human vision system by exploiting the capabilities of Lie human hearing system as an additional neural input. The human hearing system is capable of learning to process and interpret extremely complicated and rapidly changing auditory patterns. The known capabilities of the human hearing system to learn and understand complicated auditory patterns provided the basic motivation for developing an image-to-sound mapping system. The human brain is superior to most existing computer systems in rapidly extracting relevant information from blurred, noisy, and redundant images. From a theoretical viewpoint, this means that the available bandwidth is not exploited in an optimal way. While image-processing techniques can manipulate, condense and focus the information (e.g., Fourier Transforms), keeping the mapping as direct and simple as possible might also reduce the risk of accidentally filtering out important clues. After all, especially a perfect non-redundant sound representation is prone to loss of relevant information in the non-perfect human hearing system. Also, a complicated non-redundant image-to-sound mapping may well be far more difficult to learn and comprehend than a straightforward mapping, while the mapping system would increase in complexity and cost. This work will demonstrate some basic information processing for optimal information capture for headmounted systems.

Maluf, David A.↗

Adaptive Changes in Sensorimotor Coordination and Motion Sickness Following Repeated Exposures to Virtual Environments

Virtual environments offer unique training opportunities, particularly for training astronauts and preadapting them to the novel sensory conditions of microgravity. Two unresolved human factors issues in virtual reality (VR) systems are: 1) potential "cybersickness", and 2) maladaptive sensorimotor performance following exposure to VR systems. Interestingly, these aftereffects are often quite similar to adaptive sensorimotor responses observed in astronauts during and/or following space flight. Initial interpretation of novel sensory information may be inappropriate and result in perceptual errors. Active exploratory behavior in a new environment, with resulting feedback and the formation of new associations between sensory inputs and response outputs, promotes appropriate perception and motor control in the new environment. Thus, people adapt to consistent, sustained alterations of sensory input such as those produced by microgravity, unilateral labyrinthectomy and experimentally produced stimulus rearrangements. The purpose of this research was to compare disturbances in sensorimotor coordination produced by dome and head-mounted virtual environment displays and to examine the effects of exposure duration, and repeated exposures to VR systems. The first study examined disturbances in balance control, and the second study examined disturbances in eye-head-hand (EHH) and eye-head coordination.

Harm, D. L.↗

Risk Reduction and Measures of Injury for EVA Associated Upper Extremity Medical Issues: Extended Vent Tube Study

During Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL) training sessions, a large amount of moisture accumulates in the EVA gloves. The glove design restricts the extension of the EVA suit s ventilation/cooling system to the hand. Subungual redness and fingernail pain develops for many astronauts following their NBL training sessions with subsequent oncholysis occurring over succeeding weeks. Various attempts have been made to reduce or avoid this problem. The causal role of moisture has yet to be defined. Methods: To determine the contribution that moisture plays in the injury to the fingers and fingernails during EVA training operations in NBL, the current Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), with a Portable Life Support System (PLSS) was configured with a ventilation tube that extended down a single arm of the crewmember during the test and compared with the unventilated contralateral arm; with the ventilated hand serving as the experimental condition (E) and the opposite arm as the control (C). A cross-over design was used with opposite handedness for the vent tube on a subsequent NBL training run. Moisture content measures were conducted at six points on each hand with three types of moisture meters. A questionnaire was administered to determine subjective thermal hand discomfort, skin moisture perception, and hand and nail discomfort. Photographs and video were recorded. Measures were applied to six astronauts pre- and post-run in the NBL. Results: The consistent trends in relative hydration ratios at the dorsum, from 3.34 for C to 2.11 for E, and first ring finger joint locations, from 2.46 for C to 1.96 for E, indicated the extended vent tube promoted skin drying. The experimental treatment appeared to be more effective on the left hand versus the right hand, implying an interaction with hand anthropometry and glove fit. Video analyses differentiated fine and gross motor training tasks during runs and will be discussed. Conclusions: This potential countermeasure was effective in reducing the risks of hand and nail discomfort symptoms from moderate to low in two of six subjects. Improved design in the ventilation pattern of such a countermeasure is expected to improve the countermeasure s efficiency.

Jones, Jeffrey A.↗

Effects of Artificial Gravity and Bed Rest on Spatial Orientation and Balance Control

While the vestibular system should be well-adapted to bed rest (a condition it experiences approximately 8/24 hrs each day), questions remain regarding the degree to which repeated exposures to the unusual gravito-inertial force environment of a short-radius centrifuge might affect central processing of vestibular information used in spatial orientation and balance control. Should these functions be impaired by intermittent AG, its feasibility as a counter-measure would be diminished. We, therefore, examined the effects of AG on spatial orientation and balance control in 15 male volunteers before and after 21 days of 6 HDT bed rest (BR). Eight of the subjects were treated with daily 1hr AG exposures (2.5g at the feet; 1.0g at the heart) aboard a short radius (3m) centrifuge, while the other seven served as controls (C). Spatial orientation was assessed by measures of ocular counter-rolling (OCR; rotation of the eye about the line of sight, an otolith-mediated reflex) and subjective visual vertical (SVV; perception of the spatial upright). Both OCR and SVV measurements were made with the subject upright, lying on their left sides, and lying on their right sides. OCR was measured from binocular eye orientation recordings made while the subjects fixated for 10s on a point target directly in front of the face at a distance of 1 m. SVV was assessed by asking subjects (in the dark) to adjust to upright (using a handheld controller) the orientation of a luminous bar randomly perturbed (15) to either side of the vertical meridian. Balance control performance was assessed using a computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) protocol similar to that currently required for all returning crew members. During each session, the subjects completed a combination of trials of sensory organization test (SOT) 2 (eyes closed, fixed platform) and SOT 5 (eyes closed, sway-referenced platform) with and without static and dynamic pitch plane head movements (plus or minus 20 deg., dynamic paced by an audible tone at 0.33Hz). OCR and CDP performance were unaffected by BR and BR+AG; post-BR measures were unchanged from baseline for both AG and C groups. Similarly, BR did not affect SVV in the C group. However, BR+AG disrupted one measure of spatial orientation: SVV error was significantly increased on R+0 and R+1 following BR in the AG group. These results suggest a transient untoward effect on central vestibular processing may accompany repeated exposure to intermittent AG, a potential side-effect that should be studied more closely in future studies.

Paloski, William H.↗

Promoting Lifelong Ocean Education: Shaping Tomorrow's Earth Stewards and the Science and Technology Workforce

The coming ocean observing systems provide an unprecedented opportunity to change both the public perception of our oceans, and to inspire, captivate and motivate our children, our young adults and even our fellow adults to pursue careers allied with the oceans and to become stewards of our Planet's last unexplored environment. Education plans for the operational component, the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), and for the research component, Ocean Research Interactive Observatory Networks (ORION), are designed to take advantage of this opportunity. In both cases, community recommendations were developed within the context of the following assumptions: 1. Utilize research on how people learn, especially the four-pronged model of simultaneous learner-centered, knowledge-center, assessment-centered and community-centered learning 2. Strive for maximum impact on national needs in science and technology learning 3. Build on the best of what is already in place 4. Pay special attention to quality, sustainability, and scalability of efforts 5. Use partnerships across federal, state and local government, academia, and industry. Community recommendations for 100s and ORION education have much in common and offer the opportunity to create a coherent education effort allied with ocean observing systems. Both efforts focus on developing the science and technology workforce of the future, and the science and technology literacy of the public within the context of the Earth system and the role of the oceans and Great Lakes in that system. Both also recognize that an organized education infrastructure that supports sustainability and scalability of education efforts is required if ocean observing education efforts are to achieve a small but measurable improvement in either of these areas. Efforts have begun to develop the education infrastructure by beginning to form a community of educators from existing ocean and aquatic education networks and by exploring needs and issues associated with using ocean observing information assets in education. Likewise efforts are underway to address workforce issues by a systematic analysis of current and future workforce and educational needs. These activities will be described as will upcoming opportunities for the community to participate in these efforts.

Meeson, Blanche↗

Making Technology Ready: Integrated Systems Health Management

This paper identifies work needed by developers to make integrated system health management (ISHM) technology ready and by programs to make mission infrastructure ready for this technology. This paper examines perceptions of ISHM technologies and experience in legacy programs. Study methods included literature review and interviews with representatives of stakeholder groups. Recommendations address 1) development of ISHM technology, 2) development of ISHM engineering processes and methods, and 3) program organization and infrastructure for ISHM technology evolution, infusion and migration.

Malin, Jane T.↗

CRM - I Want It My Way!

This viewgraph presentation provides an overview of crew resource management (CRM). Topics include what makes a good participant in a team process, human perception and response of individual behavior, characteristics of a bad participant, factors that affect performance, CRM assumptions and techniques, and CRM and individuality.

Henwood, Bart↗

Interactions with Virtual People: Do Avatars Dream of Digital Sheep?

This paper explores another form of artificial entity, ones without physical embodiment. We refer to virtual characters as the name for a type of interactive object that have become familiar in computer games and within virtual reality applications. We refer to these as avatars: three-dimensional graphical objects that are in more-or-less human form which can interact with humans. Sometimes such avatars will be representations of real-humans who are interacting together within a shared networked virtual environment, other times the representations will be of entirely computer generated characters. Unlike other authors, who reserve the term agent for entirely computer generated characters and avatars for virtual embodiments of real people; the same term here is used for both. This is because avatars and agents are on a continuum. The question is where does their behaviour originate? At the extremes the behaviour is either completely computer generated or comes only from tracking of a real person. However, not every aspect of a real person can be tracked every eyebrow move, every blink, every breath rather real tracking data would be supplemented by inferred behaviours which are programmed based on the available information as to what the real human is doing and her/his underlying emotional and psychological state. Hence there is always some programmed behaviour it is only a matter of how much. In any case the same underlying problem remains how can the human character be portrayed in such a manner that its actions are believable and have an impact on the real people with whom it interacts? This paper has three main parts. In the first part we will review some evidence that suggests that humans react with appropriate affect in their interactions with virtual human characters, or with other humans who are represented as avatars. This is so in spite of the fact that the representational fidelity is relatively low. Our evidence will be from the realm of psychotherapy, where virtual social situations are created that do test whether people react appropriately within these situations. We will also consider some experiments on face-to-face virtual communications between people in the same shared virtual environments. The second part will try to give some clues about why this might happen, taking into account modern theories of perception from neuroscience. The third part will include some speculations about the future developments of the relationship between people and virtual people. We will suggest that a more likely scenario than the world becoming populated by physically embodied virtual people (robots, androids) is that in the relatively near future we will interact more and more in our everyday lives with virtual people- bank managers, shop assistants, instructors, and so on. What is happening in the movies with computer graphic generated individuals and entire crowds may move into the space of everyday life.

Slater, Mel↗

Journal of Air Transportation, Volume 12, No. 1

Topics discussed include: a) Data Mining Methods Applied to Flight Operations Quality Assurance Data: A Comparison to Standard Statistical Methods; b) Financial Comparisons across Different Business Models in the Canadian Airline Industry; c) Carving a Niche for the "No-Frills" Carrier, Air Arabia, in Oil-Rich Skies; d) Situational Leadership in Air Traffic Control; and e) The Very Light Jet Arrives: Stakeholders and Their Perceptions.

Bowers, Brent D.↗

Distributed proximity sensor system having embedded light emitters and detectors

A distributed proximity sensor system is provided with multiple photosensitive devices and light emitters embedded on the surface of a robot hand or other moving member in a geometric pattern. By distributing sensors and emitters capable of detecting distances and angles to points on the surface of an object from known points in the geometric pattern, information is obtained for achieving noncontacting shape and distance perception, i.e., for automatic determination of the object's shape, direction and distance, as well as the orientation of the object relative to the robot hand or other moving member.

Lee, Sukhan↗

Generation Y Perspectives

This viewgraph presentation reviews the perception of NASA and the importance of engaging those people born between 1977 and 2000, also known as Generation Y. It examines some of the differences in attitudes and experiences, and how it reflects on how they view NASA. It also discusses use of the internet in connecting to the people from that generation.

Skytland, Nicholas↗

Real-time Detection of Moving Objects from Moving Vehicles Using Dense Stereo and Optical Flow

Dynamic scene perception is very important for autonomous vehicles operating around other moving vehicles and humans. Most work on real-time object tracking from moving platforms has used sparse features or assumed flat scene structures. We have recently extended a real-time. dense stereo system to include realtime. dense optical flow, enabling more comprehensive dynamic scene analysis. We describe algorithms to robustly estimate 6-DOF robot egomotion in the presence of moving objects using dense flow and dense stereo. We then use dense stereo and egomotion estimates to identify other moving objects while the robot itself is moving. We present results showing accurate egomotion estimation and detection of moving people and vehicles under general 6DOF motion of the robot and independently moving objects. The system runs at 18.3 Hz on a 1.4 GHz Pentium M laptop. computing 160x120 disparity maps and optical flow fields, egomotion, and moving object segmentation. We believe this is a significant step toward general unconstrained dynamic scene analysis for mobile robots, as well as for improved position estimation where GPS is unavailable.

moving object detection↗

International Space Station Human Behavior and Performance Competency Model: Volume I

This document defines Human Behavior and Performance (HBP) competencies that are recommended to be included as requirements to participate in international long duration missions. They were developed in response to the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MMOP) request to develop HBP training requirements for the International Space Station (ISS). The competency model presented here was developed by the ITCB HBPT WG and forms the basis for determining the HBP training curriculum for long duration crewmembers. This document lists specific HBP competencies and behaviors required of astronauts/cosmonauts who participate in ISS expedition and other international longduration missions. Please note that this model does not encompass all competencies required. For example, outside the scope of this document are cognitive skills and abilities, including but not limited to concentration, memorization, perception, imagination, and thinking. It is assumed that these skills, which are crucial in terms of human behavior and performance, are considered during selection phase since such professionally significant qualities of the operator should be taken into consideration in order to ensure sufficient baseline levels that can be further improved during general astronaut training. Also, technical competencies, even though critical for crewmembers, are beyond the scope of this document. It should also be noted that the competencies in this model (and subsequent objectives) are not intended to limit the internal activities or training programs of any international partner.

Schmidt, Lacey↗

Instrument Display Visual Angles for Conventional Aircraft and the MQ-9 Ground Control Station

Aircraft instrument panels should be designed such that primary displays are in optimal viewing location to minimize pilot perception and response time. Human Factors engineers define three zones (i.e. "cones") of visual location: 1) "Easy Eye Movement" (foveal vision); 2) "Maximum Eye Movement" (peripheral vision with saccades), and 3) "Head Movement" (head movement required). Instrument display visual angles were measured to determine how well conventional aircraft (T-34, T-38, F- 15B, F-16XL, F/A-18A, U-2D, ER-2, King Air, G-III, B-52H, DC-10, B747-SCA) and the MQ-9 ground control station (GCS) complied with these standards, and how they compared with each other. Methods: Selected instrument parameters included: attitude, pitch, bank, power, airspeed, altitude, vertical speed, heading, turn rate, slip/skid, AOA, flight path, latitude, longitude, course, bearing, range and time. Vertical and horizontal visual angles for each component were measured from the pilot s eye position in each system. Results: The vertical visual angles of displays in conventional aircraft lay within the cone of "Easy Eye Movement" for all but three of the parameters measured, and almost all of the horizontal visual angles fell within this range. All conventional vertical and horizontal visual angles lay within the cone of "Maximum Eye Movement". However, most instrument vertical visual angles of the MQ-9 GCS lay outside the cone of "Easy Eye Movement", though all were within the cone of "Maximum Eye Movement". All the horizontal visual angles for the MQ-9 GCS were within the cone of "Easy Eye Movement". Discussion: Most instrument displays in conventional aircraft lay within the cone of "Easy Eye Movement", though mission-critical instruments sometimes displaced less important instruments outside this area. Many of the MQ-9 GCS systems lay outside this area. Specific training for MQ-9 pilots may be needed to avoid increased response time and potential error during flight.

Bendrick, Gregg A.↗

Medical Operations Console Procedure Evaluation: BME Response to Crew Call Down for an Emergency

International Space Station (ISS) Mission Operations are managed by multiple flight control disciplines located at the lead Mission Control Center (MCC) at NASA-Johnson Space Center (JSC). ISS Medical Operations are supported by the complementary roles of Flight Surgeons (Surgeon) and Biomedical Engineer (BME) flight controllers. The Surgeon, a board certified physician, oversees all medical concerns of the crew and the BME provides operational and engineering support for Medical Operations Crew Health Care System. ISS Medical Operations is currently addressing the coordinated response to a crew call down for an emergent medical event, in particular when the BME is the only Medical Operations representative in MCC. In this case, the console procedure BME Response to Crew Call Down for an Emergency will be used. The procedure instructs the BME to contact a Surgeon as soon as possible, coordinate with other flight disciplines to establish a Private Medical Conference (PMC) for the crew and Surgeon, gather information from the crew if time permits, and provide Surgeon with pertinent console resources. It is paramount that this procedure is clearly written and easily navigated to assist the BME to respond consistently and efficiently. A total of five BME flight controllers participated in the study. Each BME participant sat in a simulated MCC environment at a console configured with resources specific to the BME MCC console and was presented with two scripted emergency call downs from an ISS crew member. Each participant used the procedure while interacting with analog MCC disciplines to respond to the crew call down. Audio and video recordings of the simulations were analyzed and each BME participant's actions were compared to the procedure. Structured debriefs were conducted at the conclusion of both simulations. The procedure was evaluated for its ability to elicit consistent responses from each BME participant. Trials were examined for deviations in procedure task completion and/or navigation, in particular the execution of the Surgeon call sequence. Debrief comments were used to analyze unclear procedural steps and to discern any discrepancies between the procedure and generally accepted BME actions. The sequence followed by BME participants differed considerably from the sequence intended by the procedure. Common deviations included the call sequence used to contact Surgeon, the content of BME and crew interaction and the gathering of pertinent console resources. Differing perceptions of task priority and imprecise language seem to have caused multiple deviations from the procedure s intended sequence. The study generated 40 recommendations for the procedure, of which 34 are being implemented. These recommendations address improving the clarity of the instructions, identifying training considerations, expediting Surgeon contact, improving cues for anticipated flight control team communication and identifying missing console tools.

Johnson-Troop↗

Adaptive Changes In Postural Equilibrium And Motion Sickness Following Repeated Exposures To Virtual Environments

Virtual environments offer unique training opportunities, particularly for training astronauts and preadapting them to the novel sensory conditions of microgravity. Two unresolved human factors issues in virtual reality (VR) systems are: 1) potential "cybersickness", and 2) maladaptive sensorimotor performance following exposure to VR systems. Interestingly, these aftereffects are often quite similar to adaptive sensorimotor responses observed in astronauts during and/or following space flight. Changes in the environmental sensory stimulus conditions and the way we interact with the new stimuli may result in motion sickness, and perceptual, spatial orientation and sensorimotor disturbances. Initial interpretation of novel sensory information may be inappropriate and result in perceptual errors. Active exploratory behavior in a new environment, with resulting feedback and the formation of new associations between sensory inputs and response outputs, promotes appropriate perception and motor control in the new environment. Thus, people adapt to consistent, sustained alterations of sensory input such as those produced by microgravity, unilateral labyrinthectomy and experimentally produced stimulus rearrangements. Adaptation is revealed by aftereffects including perceptual disturbances and sensorimotor control disturbances. The purpose of the current study was to compare disturbances in postural control produced by dome and head-mounted virtual environment displays, and to examine the effects of exposure duration, and repeated exposures to VR systems. Forty-one subjects (21 men, 20 women) participated in the study with an age range of 21-49 years old. One training session was completed in order to achieve stable performance on the posture and VR tasks before participating in the experimental sessions. Three experimental sessions were performed each separated by one day. The subjects performed a navigation and pick and place task in either a dome or head-mounted display (HMD) VR system for either 30 or 60 min. The environment was a square room with 15 pedestals on two opposite walls. The objects appeared on one set of pedestals and the subject s objective was to move the objects to the other set of pedestals. After the subject picked up an object, a pathway appeared and they were required to follow the pathway to the other side of the room. The subject was instructed to perform the task as quickly and accurately as possible, avoiding hitting walls and other any obstacles and placing the object on the center of the pedestal. Postural equilibrium was measured (using the Equitest CDP balance system, Neurocom, International) before, immediately after, and at 1 hr, 2 hr, 4 hr and 6 hr following exposure to VR. Postural equilibrium was measured during quiet stance with eyes open, eyes closed and vision and/or ankle proprioceptive inputs selectively altered by servo-controlling the visual surround and/or support surface to the subject s center of mass sway. Posture data was normalized using a log transformation and motion sickness data were normalized using the square root. In general, we found that exposure to VR resulted in decrements in postural stability. The largest decrements were observed in the tests performed immediately following exposure to VR and showed a fairly rapid recovery across the remaining test sessions. In addition, subjects generally showed improvement across days. We found significant main effects for day and time for the composite equilibrium score and for sensory organization tests (SOT) 1, 2 and 6. Significant main effects were observed for day for SOT 3 and 5. Although we found no significant main effects for gender (when center of gravity was used as a covariate), we did observe significant gender X time interaction effects for composite equilibrium and for SOT 1, 3, 4 and 5. Women appeared to show larger decrements in postural stability immediately after exposure to VR than men, but recover more quickly than n. Finally, we found no significant main effects for type of VR device or for exposure duration, however, these factors did interact with other factors during some of the SOTs. Subjects exhibited rapid recovery of motion sickness symptoms across time following exposure to VR and significantly less severe symptoms across days. We did not observe main effects for gender, type of device or duration of exposure. Individuals recovered from the detrimental effects of exposure to virtual reality on postural control and motion sickness within one hour. Sickness severity and initial decrements in postural equilibrium decreases over days, which suggests that subjects become dual-adapted over time. These findings provide some direction for developing training schedules for VR users that facilitate adaptation, and support the idea that preflight training of astronauts may serve as useful countermeasure for the sensorimotor effects of space flight.

Harm, D. L.↗