A multi-purpose tactile vest for astronauts in the international space station

Abstract

During a 10 day taxiflight to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2004, Dutch astronaut Andre Kuipers is scheduled to test a multi-purpose vibrotactile vest. The main application of the vest is supporting the astronaut's orientation awareness. To this end, we employ an artificial gravity vector analogy. The location of vibration on the torso indicates the direction of a vector representing the standard ISS orientation. This application is hypothesised to increase the astronaut's performance and safety. A second application is designed to be used during rest. Additional vibrating elements are attached to the ankles, knees, elbows and wrists of the astronaut. By using specific, pre-programmed spatiotemporal patterns, the astronaut can get the feeling of whole body stimulation. This will support the astronaut in sensing and locating his extremities in space. This application is hypothesised to compensate for the sensory deprivation of the proprioceptive system during weightlessness, result-ing in increased comfort for the astronaut.