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ELaboratore Immagini TElevisive - Space 2 (ELITE-S2)
07.17.09

Overview | Description | Applications | Operations | Results | Publications | Images

Experiment/Payload Overview

Brief Summary

ELaboratore Immagini Televisive - Space 2 (ELITE-S2) will investigate the connection between brain, visualization and motion in the absence of gravity. By recording and analyzing the three-dimensional motion of astronauts, this study will help engineers apply ergonomics into future spacecraft designs and determine the effects of weightlessness on breathing mechanisms for long-duration missions. Results might also be applied to neurological patients on the ground with impaired motor control. This experiment is a cooperative effort with the Italian Space Agency, ASI.

Principal Investigator

  • Francesco Lacquaniti, M.D., University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy

    • Co-Investigator(s)/Collaborator(s)

  • Giancarlo Ferrigno, Ph.D., Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
  • Myrka Zago, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
  • Fondazione Santa Lucia, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy

    • Payload Developer


    Italian Space Agency, Rome Italy
    Kayser Italia Srl., Livorno, Italy

    Sponsoring Agency

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

    Expeditions Assigned

    |16|17|

    Previous ISS Missions

    The predecessor to this investigation, ELITE-S, was flown on EUROMIR in 1995. A similar experiment, KINELITE, flew on STS-90.

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    Experiment/Payload Description

    Research Summary

    • On Earth, our ability to catch a ball depends on a mental model of the physical behavior of that object, a model that includes gravity. In a microgravity environment, astronauts adjust their motor control strategies to respond to new rules, but still show evidence that the old gravity based rules are hard-wired into their brains through neural networks.


    • This experiment will evaluate differences in the way the brain controls conscious and unconscious motions such as breathing, sitting and standing in environments with and without gravity.

    Description

    Several experiments done in orbit have demonstrated that similar neural and cognitive mechanisms participate during both imagining and executing a movement. A previous Neurolab study showed that astronauts used an internal model of gravity, even in microgravity, to initiate the movements of catching a dropped ball. This demonstrated that gravity representation is built into the neural networks involved in planning interceptive movements. More recently, it has been uncovered that activity in the vestibular cortex represents the neural substrate of the internal model of Newton's law in the Earth's gravitational field. However, mental imagery of the laws of motion of objects has not been studied in space to date.

    ELITE-S2 will provide a system for observations on body motor control during long term exposure to microgravity and perform quantitative data collection and analysis on board the International Space Station (ISS). The primary goal of ELITE-S2 is to study the strategies for dynamic control of posture and body motion and adaptive mechanisms which allow adjustment of motor control strategies resulting from exposure to microgravity. ELITE-S2 will investigate whether gravity representation also affects mental imagery of an interceptive task in microgravity. In addition it will investigate the effects of weightlessness on breathing mechanisms.

    To better understand the neural mechanism for motor control in microgravity, ELITE-S2 will analyze movement of astronauts from sitting to standing while monitoring the quantitative postural response to optokinetic stimulation (visual tracking of motion). The role of sensory inputs in the organization of the locomotion patterns and the role of sensorimotor integration mechanisms will be evaluated during pointing and reaching tasks. Cardiorespiratory physiology will be examined by quantitatively analyzing the chest wall compartment mechanics. To aid in ergonomic design and human factors for future spacecraft design, this investigation will also evaluate working posture.

    Understanding the ability of the human brain to mentally represent the presence or absence of gravity is key to training crewmembers to complete tasks in a low gravity environment. Ergonomics findings from this study can be used in the design of future spacecraft and space-qualified systems.

    Two experiment protocols have been defined for ELITE-S2:

    • Imagery of object Motion Affected by Gravity in null gravity Experiments for ELITE-S2 (IMAGINE-2): On Earth our ability to catch a ball depends on a mental model of the physical behavior of that object, a model taht includes gravity. In a microgravity environment, astronauts adjust their motor control strategies to respond to new rules, but still show evidence that the old gravity based rules are hard wired into their brains through neural networks.


    • Movement in Orbit Vehicle Experiments (MOVE): This experiment will evaluate differences in the way the brain controls conscious and unconcious motions such as bending trunk, pointing and reaching objects in environments with and without gravity.

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    Applications

    Space Applications

    This study will allow the application of ergonomics in the design of future spacecraft and determine the effects of microgravity on breathing mechanisms for long-duration missions.

    Earth Applications

    This study has important implications not only for understanding basic mechanisms of motor control, but also for rehabilitative training of neurological patients with impaired motor control. New rehabilitation techniques are based on virtual reality and mental rehearsal of motor actions.

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    Operations

    Operational Requirements

    The hardware for the experiment (the Interface Management Unit) is installed in an EXPRESS Rack and the cameras and body restraints must be mounted in specific areas. A total of three sessions of ELITE-S2 with 3 crewmembers participating in each session are required. The first session will be immediately following vehicle docking to ISS, the second session one month after docking and the third session shortly before the astronauts return to Earth. The data captured by the cameras in each session will be downlinked for analysis by ground teams. The ground teams will study the mental representations of gravity and microgravity as well as the adaptive mechanisms of motor control to microgravity.

    Operational Protocols

    For each protocol, a set of body landmarks are identified and reflective markers are applied on the astronaut performing the experiment. The astronaut will perform prescheduled movements (for example, the subject has to reach and brush, without exerting forces) with his index finger tips then return to the initial position. Video cameras will trace the trajectories of the body parts of the astronaut catching the light reflected by the markers. This allows the cameras to record the kinetic and trajectory data of the movement.

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    Results/More Information

    Information Pending

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    Related Web Sites

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    Publications

    Results Publications

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      Related Publications
      • Neri G, Ferrigno G, Pedrocchi A, Baroni G, Zolesi V, Bracciaferri F, Pedotti A, ELITE S2 - A New Instrument for Multifactoral Movement Analysis on The International Space Station IAC 2003
      • Pedrocchi A, Baroni G, Ferrigno G, Massion J, Pedotti A. Inverse dynamic investigation for voluntary trunk movements in weightlessness: a new microgravity-specific strategy. Journal of Biomechanics. ;36:1691-1700. 2003
      • Ferrigno G, Pedrocchi A, Baroni G, Bracciaferri F, Neri G, Pedotti A. ELITE-S2: the facility for multifactorial movement analysis for the International Space Station: new perspectives for motion analysis technologies. Acta Astronautica. ;54(10):737-747. 2004
      • Rigotti C, Cerveri P, Andreoni G, Pedotti A, Ferrigno G. Modeling and Driving of a Reduced Human Mannequin through Motion Captured Data: a Network Approach. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics. Part A, Systems and humans. ;31:187-193. 2001
      • Pedrocchi A, Baroni G, Massion J, Pedotti A, Ferrigno G. Inverse dynamic investigation for voluntary trunk movements in weightlessness: a new microgravity-specific strategy. Journal of Biomechanics. ;36:1691-1700. 2003
      • Pedrocchi A, Tagliabue M, Lanzani A, Baroni G, Pedotti A, Ferrigno G. Motor strategies evaluation in long term microgravity exposure: simulation and comparison between CM control and net ankle moment control motor strategies. Gait and Posture. ;14(2):166. 2002
      • Baroni G, Pedrocchi A, Ferrigno G, Massion J, Pedotti A. Long-term adaptation of motor co-ordination in prolonged weightless conditions. Journal of Applied Physiology. ;90(1):205-215. 2001
      • Pedrocchi A, Baroni G, Ferrigno G, Massion J, Pedotti A. EUROMIR 95 T4 experiment Human Posture in microgravity: global results and future perspectives. Journal of Gravitational Physiolology. ;9(1):117-120. 2002
      • Neri G, Ferrigno G, Pedrocchi A, Baroni G, Bracciaferri F, Pedotti A. ELITE S2 -- a New Instrument for Multifactorial Movement Analysis on the International Space Station. 54th International Astronautical Congress of the International Astronautical Federation, the International Academy of Astronautics, and the International Institute of Space Law, Bremen. Sep 29 - Oct 3, ;IAC-03-G.P.05. 2003
      • Ferrigno G, Pedrocchi A, Baroni G, Neri G, Bracciaferri F, Cotronei V, Pedotti A. ELITE-S2: the Facility for Multifactorial Movement Analysis for the International Space Station New Perspectives For Motion Analysers Technologies. Conference and Exhibit on International Space Station Utilization, Cape Canaveral, FL. Oct 15 - 18, ;AIAA-2001-4943. 2001
      • Baroni G, Pedrocchi A, Ferrigno G, Massion J, Pedotti A. Motor coordination in weightless conditions revealed by long-term microgravity adaptation. Acta Astronautica. ;49(3-10):199-213. 2001
      • Pedrocchi A, Baroni G, Sada S, Marcon E, Pedotti A, Ferrigno G. Optimisation of shape kernel and threshold in image-processing motion analysers. Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing. ;39(5):525-533. 2001
      • Pedrocchi A, Tagliabue M, Lanzani A, Baroni G, Pedotti A, Ferrigno G. Motor strategies evaluation in long term microgravity exposure: simulation and comparison between CM control and net ankle moment control motor strategies. Gait and Posture. ;14(2):166. 2002
      • Baroni G, Pedrocchi A, Ferrigno G, Massion J, Pedotti A. 3-D motion capture and biomechanical modelling for neuroscience investigation in weightlessness. Recent Research and Developments in Biomechanics. ;159-187. 2003
      • Amblard B, Assaiante C, Vaugoyeau M, Baroni G, Ferrigno G, Massion J, Pedotti A. Voluntary head stabilization in space during oscillatory trunk movements in the frontal plane performed before, during and after prolonged period of weightlessness. Experimental Brain Research. ;137:170-179. 2001
      • Amir A, Baroni G, Pedrocchi A, Newman D, Ferrigno G, Pedotti A. Measuring Astronaut Performance on the ISS: Advanced Kinematic and Kinetic Instrumentation. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics, Instrumentation and Measurement. ;50(5):1450-1455. 2001

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      Images

      imageThe calibration tool used for ELITE-S2.
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      imageThe Interface Management Unit (IMU) for ELITE-S2.
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      imageThe video camera for ELITE-S2.
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      imageA subject performing a whole body protocols with applied markers
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      imageAstronaut, Benjamin (Al) Drew during a payload training dry-run for ELITE-S2.
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      Information Provided and Updated by the ISS Program Scientist's Office
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