Minified Augmented Reality as a Terrestrial Analog for G-Transitions Effects in Lunar and Interplanetary Spaceflight

Abstract

Brief periods of extreme gravitational transition are anticipated during interplanetary spaceflight, including transitions between microgravity, hypogravity, and hypergravity. Rapid sensorimotor adaptation will occur following these G-transitions which may affect astronaut performance including gaze control and dynamic visual acuity. Significant decrements in dynamic visual acuity could lead to mission compromise or failure (e.g., impairing mission critical tasks or spacecraft maneuvering). It is crucial to provide astronauts with the training necessary to overcome these physiological barriers they are bound to encounter during spaceflight missions. Minifying lenses in augmented reality may serve as an easily applicable, low-cost, method to simulate vestibulo-ocular dysfunction that occurs during gravitational transitions. In this paper, we review the effects of G-transitions on the vestibulo-ocular system and report on the novel development of minified augmented reality as a potential simulator and training tool for future spaceflight. We also report the results from an early validation study with a mean decrease in DVA (0.370 LogMAR) with 80% minifying effect, as well as a mean increase of DVA post-minifying (0.030 LogMAR). These early results suggest that minified augmented reality may serve as an accessible terrestrial analog for G-transitions, thus having potential for pre-mission training, particularly for lunar and interplanetary spaceflight.