Context dependence of manual grasping movements in near weightlessness

Fabian Steinberg, Otmar Leo Bock

    Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftZeitschriftenaufsätzeForschung

    Abstract

    BACKGROUND: We have shown before that human subject grasping performance differs in an everyday-like context with that observed in a laboratory context. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether reported deficits in weightlessness are more pronounced when grasping is performed as part of everyday-like behavior rather than as an isolated laboratory-type response.

    METHODS: The grasping performance of 12 participants (ages 29 +/- 5 yr) during periods of near weightlessness in parabolic flights was compared. Subjects performed a typical laboratory task (L) where grasping was repetitive, externally triggered, purposeless, and attention-attracting, and an everyday-like task (E) where the movements were part of a rich behavioral pattern, internally initiated, purposeful, and little attended. We registered typical kinematic, force, and gaze parameters, and calculated their within-subject means and variation coefficients.

    RESULTS: A global parameter comparison showed that the effects of weightlessness on grasping movements were task-dependent: means were more affected in task E (RMS scores 1.29 +/- 0.07 in L compared with 1.74 +/- 0.15 in E) and variation coefficients in task L (RMS score 4.92 +/- 0.53 in L compared to 3.00 +/- 0.22 in E).

    DISCUSSION: The results suggest that the effects of weightlessness observed under laboratory conditions can under- or overestimate the effects that emerge during everyday routines.

    OriginalspracheEnglisch
    ZeitschriftAviation, space, and environmental medicine
    Jahrgang84
    Ausgabenummer5
    Seiten (von - bis)467-472
    Seitenumfang6
    ISSN0095-6562
    PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 01.05.2013

    Fingerprint

    Untersuchen Sie die Forschungsthemen von „Context dependence of manual grasping movements in near weightlessness“. Zusammen bilden sie einen einzigartigen Fingerprint.

    Zitation