biology and biotechnology

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Perceptual-Motor Deficits in Space (PMDIS)


Research Area: Nervous and Vestibular Systems
Expedition(s): 14- 15
Principal Investigator(s): ● Barry Fowler, PhD, York University, North York,
Ontario, Canada


RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Perceptual-Motor Deficits in Space (PMDIS) investigates why
astronauts experience difficulty with hand-eye coordination while in
orbit. In-flight data distinguishes between 3 possible explanations:
the brain not adapting to the near weightlessness of space; the
difficulty of performing fine movements when floating in space; and
stress due to factors such as space sickness and sleep deprivation.


EARTH BENEFITS
Understanding how the brain adapts to physiological changes that
the International Space Station (ISS) crew members undergo are
applicable on Earth as well as space. The results from this
experiment will give insight on how the brain overcomes stresses
that are not normally part of the day-to-day life. This new
information can be applied in many areas of research that deal with
neurological diseases in order to provide improved treatments.


SPACE BENEFITS
A mini-centrifuge with daily sessions has been suggested as a means
for countering the physiological effects of long-term spaceflight, eg,
a Mars mission. This raises the possibility of continual changes in eye-hand coordination as the
gravity signal changes on a daily basis. Understanding the cause of coordination loss is
therefore critical to developing countermeasures.


RESULTS
The results from PMDIS contradict the microgravity hypothesis because a major prediction of
this hypothesis, that performance would be degraded using either the stylus or the joystick,
was not supported. Rather, performance degradation only occurred with the more mentally
demanding dual task using the joystick. These results suggest that the loss of hand-eye
coordination in space can be attributed to a variety of interacting stressors that lead to
cognitive overload. These factors include lack of body stability, degree of learning on the task
and its complexity, space sickness, and sleep deprivation.


PUBLICATION(S)
Fowler B, Meehan S, Singhal A. Perceptual-motor performance and associated kinematics in
space. Human Factors. December 2008;50(6):879-892. doi: 10.1518/001872008X374965.


This investigation is complete and all results are published.


ISS014E09626 – Expedition 14
flight engineer Astronaut Suni
Williams performs the Perceptual
Motor Deficits in Space. This
investigation will test the hand-
eye coordination of the
International Space Station crew
members during their mission.
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