16 Novembre 2010

3D SPACE

L’expérience 3DPACE cherche à vérifier que l’absence de gravité trouble la représentation mentale des repères spatiaux dans l’environnement tri-dimensionnel, telles que la distance, la profondeur et la forme d’objets en 3-Dimensions.

 

Objectif


Le protocole expérimental se décompose en 3 activités, réalisées en flottant librement:

 

1) Tests de perception de la profondeur (utilisant des illusions géométriques 2D et des objets en 3D)

2) Tests de perception de la distance (utilisant des scènes photographiques en 3D)

3) Tests d’écriture/de dessins

Ci-dessous, exemples de stimuli scientifiques présentés aux astronautes- crédit Anthrotronix

 

 

L’expérience est parrainée et supportée par l’Agence Spatiale Européenne et implique une équipe scientifique européenne et une américaine :

  • Gilles Clément, PhD, International Space University, Illkirch Graffenstaden , France

 

  • Corinna Lathan, PhD, AnthroTronix, Silver Spring, USA

Concept Opérationnel


Pour permettre une étude comparative entre les mesures sol et vol, le sujet doit faire 3 sessions avant le vol, 4 à 5 à bord de la Station Spatiale Internationale et 3 à 4 après le vol.

 

Interface


A bord de l’ISS, les activités 3DSPACE se déroulent dans le module scientifique Européen Columbus. La FCT (Flight Control Team) basée à Münich supervise les activités européennes en liaison directe avec le centre de support opérationnel responsable de l’expérience : CADMOS (Toulouse).

Equipement utilisé


L’expérience 3DSPACE utilise un ordinateur portable qui permet d’exécuter le logiciel expérimental. Les stimuli scientifiques en 3D sont affichés dans des lunettes de réalité virtuelle. Une tablette graphique permet de collecter les réponses aux tests d’écriture.

 

Statut de l’expérience et des données


L’expérience est terminée depuis juin 2011. Les données sont archivées au CADMOS.

Publications

  • Distance and Size Perception in Astronauts during Long-Duration Spaceflight (Gilles Clément, Anna Skinner and Corinna Lathan )

In our previous studies, we have shown that the occurrence of geometric illusions was reduced in vestibular patients who presented signs of otolith disorders and when healthy observers were tilted relative to gravity. We hypothesized that the alteration in the gravitational (otolith) input was responsible for this change, presumably because of a connection between vestibular and visual–spatial cognitive functions. In this study, we repeated similar experiments in astronauts during long-duration spaceflight. In agreement with the data of otolithic patients, the inverted-T geometric illusion was less present in the astronauts in 0g than in 1g. In addition, the vertical length of drawings made by astronauts in orbit was shorter than that on the ground. This result is also comparable with the otolithic patients who perceived the vertical length of line drawings to be smaller than healthy individuals. We conclude that the impairment in the processing of gravitational input in long-duration astronauts affects their mental representation of the vertical dimension similar to the otolithic patients. The astronauts, however, recover to baseline levels within 1 week after returning to Earth.
NeuroReport 23:894–899 © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

  • Mental representation of spatial cues in microgravity:Writing and drawing tests (Gilles Clément, Corinna Lathan, Anna Lockerd, Angie Bukley)

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 perceptualmotor 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.
© 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  • Geometric illusions in astronauts during long-duration spaceflight (Gilles Clément, Anna Skinner, Ghislaine Richard and Corinna Lathan)

In our previous studies, we have shown that the occurrence of geometric illusions was reduced in vestibular patients who presented signs of otolith disorders and when healthy observers were tilted relative to gravity. We hypothesized that the alteration in the gravitational (otolith) input was responsible for this change, presumably because of a connection between vestibular and visual–spatial cognitive functions. In this study, we repeated similar experiments in astronauts during long-duration spaceflight. In agreement with the data of otolithic patients, the inverted-T geometric illusion was less present in the astronauts in 0g than in 1g. In addition, the vertical length of drawings made by astronauts in orbit was shorter than that on the ground. This result is also comparable with the otolithic patients who perceived the vertical length of line drawings to be smaller than healthy individuals. We conclude that the impairment in the processing of gravitational input in long-duration astronauts affects their mental representation of the vertical dimension similar to the otolithic patients. The astronauts, however, recover to baseline levels within 1 week after returning to Earth.
NeuroReport 00:000–000 © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

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