Egocentric references and human spatial orientation in microgravity. II: Body-centred coordinates in the task of drawing ellipses with prescribed orientation

This article describes the results of the "ellipses" experiment conducted during the second French-Soviet spaceflight (project Aragatz). The realization of oriented motor tasks, on the basis of internal body representation and without visual feedback, was chosen as a paradigm for studying...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Experimental brain research 1993-08, Vol.95 (2), p.343-348
Main Authors: GURFINKEL, V. S, LESTIENNE, F, LEVIK, YU. S, POPOV, K. E, LEFORT, L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological - physiology
Arm - physiology
Humans
Movement - physiology
Orientation - physiology
Posture - physiology
Psychomotor Performance - physiology
Space Flight
Space life sciences
Space Perception - physiology
Touch - physiology
Weightlessness
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Summary:This article describes the results of the "ellipses" experiment conducted during the second French-Soviet spaceflight (project Aragatz). The realization of oriented motor tasks, on the basis of internal body representation and without visual feedback, was chosen as a paradigm for studying the determinants of spatial orientation under weightlessness. The process of drawing ellipses in the air, using arm movements with axes parallel or perpendicular to the longitudinal body axis, was studied under normal gravity and in weightlessness, and recorded using a video computer motion-analyzing system (Kinesigraph). On Earth, the experiments were performed in standing and lying positions, and in flight, in the erect position with the feet fixed to the floor. In general, performance of the task in microgravity was not disturbed. Under conditions of spaceflight, the longitudinal ellipse was inclined forward in accordance with the inclination of the whole body relative to the fixed feet. On Earth, the angle between the long axes of longitudinal and transverse ellipses deviated from 90 degrees by 20-30 degrees. The same deviation persisted under microgravity conditions. The distinctive features of ellipses traced by individual subjects were also preserved. It is concluded that an egocentric reference system ensures normal performance of sensorimotor tasks in the absence of a gravitational reference.
ISSN:0014-4819
1432-1106
DOI:10.1007/BF00229792