GDA-ERR-AN-522 6. Life Sciences RELATION OF PERFORMANCE [0 PLANE OF HEAD TURN IN A REVOLVING SPACE STATION SIMULATOR by B. D. Newsom, Ph.D., J. F. Brady, B.S., and J. M. Legervertf, M.D. 18 August 1964 GID GENERAL DYNAMICS | ASTRONAUTICSGDA-ERR-AN-522 6. Life Sciences August 17, 1964 RELATION OF PERFORMANCE TO PLANE OF HEAD TURN IN A REVOLVING SPACE STATION SIMULATOR by B. D. Newsom, Ph.D., J. F. Brady, B.S., and J. M, Legerwerff, M.D. Mhis vork ves sponsored under General. Dynenics/Astronautics RD-1 No. 111-9700-911 (1964) GENERAL DYNAMCS/ASTRONAUTLCS6. Life Sciences ABSTRACT REPORT NUMBER _GDA-ERR-AN-522 RD-1 NUMBER 111-970-911. REPORT TITLE _ RELATION OF PERFORMANCE TO PLANE OF HEAD TURN IN A REVOLVING SPACE STATION SIMULATOR AUTHOR B.D. Newsom, Ph.D., J. F. Brady, B.S., and J. M. Legerverf?, M.D. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION _Uncless. COMPANY CLASSIFICATION Unclass. It is axiomatic thet head rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation in a space station will cause minimm disorientation due to coriolis effect. Conversely, head rotation ebout an axis perpendiculer to the spin axis will cause maximum coriolis effect. The problem has been treated theoretically but facilities were not available to test the concept empirically. ‘The trunnioned cabin on the Manned Revolving Space Station Simlator at Astronautics offered the opportunity to test the concepts. Revolving the similator at en inclination of 45 degrees and an RPM of 12.2 aligns the resultant centrifugal gravity vector normal to the floor, The subjects wore inclined at 45 degrees to the floor and oriented so they faced, 1) toward the axis; 2) away from the axis; end 3) in the direction of motion. When they rotated their head fron side to side in each position the axis of rotation was, 1) parallel to the spin axis; 2) perpendicular to the axis; and 3) at 45 degrees from the axis. Performance records on 12 subjects shov that head rotation ebout an exis parallel to spin axis causes the least degradation in simple per- formance of pressing the correct button to correspond with e display symbol. This study supports the theoretical arguments and is significant to space station design es it helps define arrengenent of displays and controls within « revolving system. Copies of this report may be obtained by contacting D. H. MeCoy,: 524-0, @b/Astronautics.‘ABLE OF CONTENTS ‘LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ‘SUMMARY L 2 3 4, ‘REFERENCES INTRODUCTION METHOD RESULTS CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION ia Free eo auweFigur rou LIST OF TLUJSTRATIONS Manned Revolving Space Station Simletor Mounted on the CRVAT Centrifuge Similator et 12 RPM Inclined so Resultant Force is Normal to the Floor Relation of "Plane of Head Turn" to Plane of Spin Performance Test Arrangement Forty-five Degree Test Chair With RATER and head position Indicator Rater Performance Following Head Turns in Different Planes at 12.2 RPM and 45 Degree Inclination Total Response Time for a 90 Degree Head Turn at. 12.2 REM iid 10‘SUMMARY Tt is axiomatic thet head rotation ebout an axis perellel to the axis of rotation in a space station will cause minimm disorientation due to coriolis effect. Conversely, head rotetion about en exis perpendicular to the spin axis will cause maximum coriolis effect. The problem has been treated theoretically, put facilities were not available to test the concept empirically. The ‘trunnioned cabin on the Manned Revolving Space Station Similator et Astronautics offered the opportunity to test the concept . Revolving the similator at an inclination of 45 degrees and an RPM of 12.2 aligns the resultant centrifugal gravity vector normal to the floor. The subjects were inclined at 45 degrees to the floor and oriented so they faced, 1) toward the axis; 2) away ‘from the axis; and 3) in the direction of motion. When they rotated their head from side to side in each position the axis of rotation vas, 1) perellel to the spin exis; 2) perpendicular to the axis; and 3) at 45 degrees from the axis. Performance records on 12 subjects show that head rotation sbout en axis parallel to spin axis causes the least degradation in simple performance of pressing the correct button to correspond with a display symbol. ‘This study supports the theoretical arguments and is significant to space station design as it helps define arrangenent of displays and controls within a revolving system.1, INTRODUCTION Many of the present published concepts for design of first generation orbiting space stations in the United States are of the zero-g variety. It is hoped that ways will be found to prevent degeneration of mscles end bones, loss of cardio- vasculer reflexes, and other homeostatic changes that have been predicted as the results of protracted weightlessness, The proposed techniques to attemuate these effects have not as yet been satisfectorily tested at zero-g. Logistic problems and expense make it desirable to maintain a man in space for the longest tour compatible with safety, well-being and mission success. In addition, plans are nov undervey for manned spacecraft to fly to Mars, necessitating mission durations in excess of one year. Should it be found that reentry into the earth's atmosphere 1s compromised by the physiological changes resulting from zero g in spite of the supportive techniques, then ertificial gravity mst be provided. It is the opinion of many in the field of bicastronsutics thet some sort of emergency system for re-establishing normal cardiovascular integrity should be included in the early vehicles as a "back up" to insure adequate reentry capability. This would probably be some form of centrifugal force to provide artificial gravity. Such a rotational system would possess a relatively short radius and high angular velocity, promoting substantial Coriolis effects, particularly those of labyrinthine origin vhen the head is turned. Coriolis effects have long been of concern to the Graybiel group at Pensacola (1-3) and more recently have been the subject of intensive study at our laboratories (4-6), he Pensacola studies are concerned primarily vith the Rysiology of the labyrinthine organs and their influence upon the central” nervous system. Our studies have been made more specifically to determine the crew requirements to assist, engineers in establishing design criteria for space- craft with artificiel g. Various physiological and psychomotor tests ere beingused to define the crew tolerance envelope dependent on revolutions per minute, minimum radius end required stebility. These tests are performed in a revolving space station similator designed to resemble, es closely as possible, the anticipated environment of the actual space mission. Although it is not possible to eliminte the normal gravity artifact, several important refinements heve been added that are not included in a room rotating ebout its center. Most importent innovations are: (1) trunnioning of the simulator to a centrifuge erm to allow its alignment with the inertial resultant of gravity and centrifugal acceleration; (2) use of a longer spin radius, to reduce linear velocity chenges resulting from movements in a redial direction; and (3) providing means of introducing progremmed instebility for the simlation of space vehicle perturbations and oscillations. Figure 1 shows how the Manned Revolving Space Station Simletor (MRS83) complex is suspended from the centrifuge boom. Figure 2 shows the MRSSS revolving at 12.2 RPM with a resultant inclination of 45 degrees. The hydraulic pistons used for control of stebility end trunnion arrangement are clearly visible. It, has been suggested ty Loret (7-8) that « facility such es the MRSSS would be used to quantitetively prove vhat has long been an accepted theoretical concept and empirical impression: that head rotetions in a plane perpendicular to the plane of system rotetion are more disturbing than heed rotetions parallel “to the plane of spin. Coriolis acceleration is expressed mathematically as 209 v sine? . Sine is maximm when the head rotation is in a plane perpendicular to the plane of spin.2. METHOD A chair was constructed that would place the long axis of the subject's body at an angle of 45 degrees to the MRSSS floor. ‘This chair can be pivoted about a central point to face the subject in any direction. For this study, three orientations of the chair were selected: (1) subject facing outboard; (2) subject facing inboard; and (3) subject facing forward in the direction of spin. Ahead restraint attached to the chair permitted head rotations about the subject's long axis only. As can be seen in Figure 3, with the MRSSS rotating " at 12.2 RPM and inclined 45 degrees, these tiiree test orientations Limited the subjects to head rotations in planes inclined 0 degrees, 90 degrees, and 45 degrees, respectively, to the plane of centrifuge spin. Since the subject's long axis was at a constant 45 degree inclination to the inertial resultant, the otolithic stimletion was essentially unchanged in all three chair positions. To measure performance following head rotation in these three orientations, the Response Analysis Tester (RATER) was used (9), ‘this is an electronic instrument developed in our leboratories to measure simple sensory-motor discrim- ination, based on a subject's speed and accuracy in responding to four different symbols presented in a random series. ‘he subject mst press the correct button An response to the symbol presented. Total responses and correct responses are automatically recorded on reset counters. For this study, the RATER was used. in the self-paced mode, in which the subject works at his own rate as rapidly and as accurately as he can, When a correct response is made, a new symbol appears on the display screen and a correct response is recorded; if an error is made, the symbol remains and an incorrect response is added to the total. response counter. The symbol aisplay screen and the four response buttons vere placed to the right of the chair. ‘The right arm of the subject vas supported by a sling that