Mental representation of spatial cues in microgravity: Writing and drawing tests |
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| Authors: | Gilles Clément Corinna Lathan Anna Lockerd Angie Bukley |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 5549 CNRS-UPS Cerveau et Cognition, Toulouse, France;2. Russ College of Engineering and Technology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA;3. AnthroTronix Inc., Silver Spring, MD, USA;1. Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Mile End Hospital, London E1 4DG, UK;2. Pathology Group, Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary, University of London, E1 2ES, UK;1. Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia;2. Faculty of Engineering, Tunku Abdul Rahman University College, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia;3. Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science, Swinburne University of Technology (Sarawak Campus), Malaysia;1. IRCCS “San Raffaele Pisana”, San Raffaele SPA, via della Pisana 235, 00166 Roma, Italy;2. Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, p.zza Leonardo Da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy |
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| Abstract: | Humans have mental representation of their environment based on sensory information and experience. A series of experiments has been designed to allow the identification of disturbances in the mental representation of three-dimensional space during space flight as a consequence of the absence of the gravitational frame of reference. This NASA/ESA-funded research effort includes motor tests complemented by psychophysics measurements, designed to distinguish the effects of cognitive versus perceptual-motor changes due to microgravity exposure. Preliminary results have been obtained during the microgravity phase of parabolic flight. These results indicate that the vertical height of handwritten characters and drawn objects is reduced in microgravity compared to normal gravity, suggesting that the mental representation of the height of objects and the environment change during short-term microgravity. Identifying lasting abnormalities in the mental representation of spatial cues will establish the scientific and technical foundation for development of preflight and in-flight training and rehabilitative schemes, enhancing astronaut performance of perceptual-motor tasks, for example, interaction with robotic systems during exploration-class missions. |
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