AMBIGUOUS TILT AND TRANSLATION MOTION CUES AFTER SPACE FLIGHT (ZAG)
Research Area: Nervous and Vestibular Systems
Expedition(s): 16- 28
Principal Investigator(s): ● Gilles Clement, International Space University,
Strasbourg, France
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Ambiguous Tilt and Translation Motion Cues After Space Flight (Zag) investigates the exposure
to combined tilt and translation motion profiles for space explorers who have experienced
microgravity. It also examines the effects of stimulus frequency (0.15-0.6Hz) on adaptive
changes in eye movements and motion perception and evaluates how a tactile prosthesis can
be used to improve control performance.
RESULTS
In summary, results were consistent with
the hypothesis that adaptive changes in the
neural integration of otolith input leads to
perceptual illusions and impaired manual
control after spaceflight. The postflight
recovery of motion perception and manual
control performance was complete within
1 week following short-duration space
missions. Further study is needed to
examine the effect of longer-duration
missions. The results of the studies are also
consistent with the otolith asymmetry
hypothesis as contributing to the
physiological basis for tilt-translation
disturbances. The strong correspondence
between tilt perception errors and manual
control performance decline suggested
that these adaptive changes in
sensorimotor function have operational
consequences for vehicular control. These
measures are relevant to how impairments
in otolith processing may affect other
vehicular control tasks, such as driving with
vestibular impairments. Finally, it was demonstrated that a relatively simple tactile prosthesis is
sufficient to bring landing day performance to preflight levels. The refinement of a tactile
prosthesis to improve spatial orientation can serve as a countermeasure for tilt-translation
disturbances on a variety of acceleration platforms. Validation of simple sensory aids is
applicable to balance prosthesis applications for vestibular loss patients and the elderly to
mitigate risks due to falling or loss of orientation.
Test subject in the Variable Radius Centrifuge. ESA
image.