Effects of Long-Duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Skills: 1 year ISS Investigation (Fine Motor Skills) - 01.16.19
Fine motor skills are crucial for successfully interacting with touch-based technologies, repairing sensitive equipment, and a variety of other tasks. In the Effects of Long-Duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Skills: 1 year ISS Investigation (Fine Motor Skills), crew members perform a series of interactive tasks on a touchscreen tablet. The investigation (for which data collection is now complete) is the first fine motor skills study to measure long-term microgravity exposure, different phases of microgravity adaptation, and sensorimotor recovery after returning to Earth gravity. Science Results for Everyone
Information Pending
OpNom: Fine Motor Skills
Principal Investigator(s)
Kritina Holden, Ph.D., Leidos, Houston, TX, United States
Co-Investigator(s)/Collaborator(s)
Aniko Sandor, Ph.D., KBRwyle, Houston, TX, United States
Ernest Vince Cross, Ph.D., Leidos, Houston, TX, United States
Maya R. Greene, Ph.D., KBRwyle, Houston, TX, United States
Shelby Thompson, Ph.D., Lockheed Martin, Houston, TX, United States
Alan H. Feiveson, Ph.D., Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, United States
Developer(s)
NASA Johnson Space Center, Human Research Program, Houston, TX, United States
Sponsoring Space Agency
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Sponsoring Organization
NASA - Human Research Program (NASA-HRP)
Research Benefits
Earth Benefits, Scientific Discovery, Space Exploration
ISS Expedition Duration
March 2015 - March 2016; March 2016
- February 2018
Expeditions Assigned
43/44,45/46,47/48,49/50,51/52,53/54
Previous Missions
Information Pending
Experiment Description
Research Overview
- Fine motor skills are critical during long-duration space missions, particularly those skills needed to interact with technologies required in next-generation space vehicles, spacesuits, and habitats. Crew fine motor skills are also necessary for performing tasks in transit or on a planetary surface, such as information access, just-in-time training, subsystem maintenance, and medical treatment.
- There has not been a complete, systematic study of fine motor performance to include different phases of microgravity adaptation, long-term microgravity, and the sensorimotor recovery period after transition to Earth gravity.
- The Fine Motor Skills study aims to determine the effects of long-duration microgravity and of different gravitational transitions on fine motor performance and functional task performance (human interaction with computer-based systems).
- Fine Motor Skills utilizes a series of tests designed to evaluate various aspects of fine motor control as indicated by multidirectional pointing, dragging, shape tracing, and object manipulation (pinch-rotate). Data obtained from this study (which is now complete) adds to our knowledge base and provides improved capabilities to judge the risk of fine motor performance decrements due to long-duration microgravity.
- These data contribute to closure of several NASA research gaps, and may drive in-flight mitigations and design decisions for future vehicles and habitats.
Description
- How does fine motor performance in microgravity trend/vary over the duration of a six-month and year-long space mission?
- How does fine motor performance on orbit compare with that of a closely matched participant on Earth?
- How does performance trend/vary before and after gravitational transitions, including the periods of early flight adaptation, and very early/near immediate post-flight periods?
Applications
Space Applications
Fine motor skills are critical during long-duration space missions, especially for working with next-generation space vehicles, spacesuits, and habitats. This is the first investigation to systematically study how microgravity affects crew members’ fine motor skills, especially over a long-duration mission. Changes in crewmember sensorimotor skills could require countermeasures to protect crew safety and efficiency on future missions.
Earth Applications
Computer-based games and tasks are frequently used to measure and improve fine motor abilities in elderly patients, people with motor disorders, and patients with brain injuries. The tasks developed for the Fine Motor Skills investigation could also benefit patients on Earth undergoing rehabilitation for conditions that impair fine motor control.
Operations
Operational Requirements and Protocols
Decadal Survey Recommendations
CategoryReference
Animal and Human Biology
AH7
Animal and Human Biology
AH9
Results/More Information
Information Pending
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