Disorientation is one of the main problems faced by astronauts in space. Our brain works well on land, but has more difficulty in the air. It happens to airline pilots and astronauts.
A possible solution to this problem is 'wearables', the handheld devices we use for practically everything in our daily lives: smart watches, bracelets to track activity, headphones, keychains… In this case, a work published in the journal 'Frontiers' could vibrate to help astronauts orient themselves. Devices that are placed on the skin. “If an astronaut becomes disoriented, he can no longer trust his own internal sensors, which he depends on for his entire life,” they explain.
To test its effectiveness, they selected 30 participants, covered their eyes and ears, and introduced them to a joystick-controlled multi-axis rotation device. Ten of them were trained to balance on the machine, another ten received wearables — four on each arm that vibrated as they moved away from the balance point — and the remaining ten received both. They each participated in 40 trials. During half of the tests, the machine was rocked vertically in conditions similar to those found on Earth. They all managed to get their bearings. Second, the device moved horizontally, similar to spaceflight.
Space walks
All groups were initially disoriented, but those wearing wearables performed better: they crashed less and moved less around the balance point. Getting training also helped. As the tests continued, a third group of participants – those who carried the 'gadgets' and received training – had better results. However, none have come close to the results of simulating flight on Earth.
The researchers speculate that they may need more time to trust the signals from the wearables, or that the buzz of this warning about danger isn't enough. “Trust must be at a deep, almost sub-cognitive level. To achieve this, special training is necessary,” they explain. As for its applications, if successful in a wide range of tests, they could range from helping other planets land more safely to aiding them in spacewalks.
Virtual reality glasses
Disorientation is one of the many problems faced by astronauts in space. It is estimated that people six months away from our planet are exposed to roughly the same amount of radiation as if they had received 1,000 chest X-rays, which translates into a higher risk of cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, and osteoporosis. In addition, microgravity conditions cause a significant decrease in muscle mass and bone loss.
Astronaut Megan MacArthur tests virtual reality glasses on the ISS in 2021.
NASA
Another concern is that the crew's mental health suffers during their extended stay off Earth. Isolation, feelings of confinement and lack of privacy can create stress, which those in charge try to alleviate. Last November, NASA sent virtual reality goggles to the International Space Station (ISS). This is the HTC Vive Focus 3 model, specially adapted for microgravity conditions. According to the US space agency, test participants will go through “in-flight test sessions consisting of viewing virtual reality videos and questionnaires” for half a year. This is not the first time this kind of gadget has been sent into space. Previously sent ones caused vertigo and proved useless precisely because of orientation problems, as they usually used gravity to align the sight.
