Effects of Simulated Artificial Gravity on Human PerformanceThe ability of test subjects to perform operational type tasks was evaluated at rotational rates to 6 rpm and radii to 78 ft (24 m). The tasks included fine motor activity, mental operations, postural equilibrium, cargo handling, radial and tangential locomotion. Performance data indicate that 6 rpm presents a physiological limit at radii to 75 ft (23 m). Radial locomotion was not found to produce excessive adverse stimuli, and tangential locomotion was readily accomplished at walking rates of 2 of 4.8 ft/s (.6 to 1.4 m/s). The absence of vision dramatically reduced an individual's postural equilibrium during rotation. The use of selected anti-motion pharmaceuticals had, generally, a positive effect upon psychomotor performance at 6 rpm, but did not prove to be a panacea for the adverse effects of rotation at this rate. |
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Analysis of Variance anti-spin approximately artificial g Artificial Gravity ataxia test cargo packages Coriolis forces cross-coupled angular accelerations curved floor Degrees of Freedom Dramamine DRT Performance Effects of Rotational emesis exposure eyes closed eyes open flat floor Floor Configuration Freedom Mean Squares Freedom Squares ft/s g levels head motions head movements heavy package light package Malaise Mean Squares F-Ratio Mood Factors motion sickness Newman-Kuels Analysis orientation Pharmaceutical Evaluations Phenergan/Ephedrine placebo Postrotation Ataxia postural equilibrium presented in Table pro-spin Probabi psychomotor radii radius response rotation rates rotational environment rotational test rpm 6 rpm rpm rate rung spacing Scopolamine/Dexedrine sequence significantly SOLEC Source of Variation Squares Degrees Squares F-Ratio Probability SREC Standard Mode stimuli Sums of Squares tangential locomotion task test conditions Test Day TOTAL trials Variance of DRT Variation Squares Variation Sums vestibular vestibular system Walking Rate WOFEC