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Project Title:  Effects of Long-duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Control Skills Reduce
Fiscal Year: FY 2018 
Division: Human Research 
Research Discipline/Element:
HRP HFBP:Human Factors & Behavioral Performance (IRP Rev H)
 Start Date: 10/01/2013  
End Date: 09/30/2018  
Task Last Updated: 11/20/2018 		 Download Task Book report in PDF pdf
Principal Investigator/Affiliation:   Holden, Kritina  Ph.D. / Leidos Corporation at NASA Johnson Space Center 
Address:  2101 NASA Pkwy/SF3 
Mail Code: C46 
Houston , TX 77058-3607 		 Email: kritina.l.holden@nasa.gov 
Phone: 281-483-8829  
Congressional District: 22 
Web:  
 Organization Type: NASA CENTER 
Organization Name: Leidos Corporation at NASA Johnson Space Center 
Joint Agency:  
Comments:  
Co-Investigator(s)
Affiliation: 
Cross, Ernest  Ph.D. Leidos Corporation/NASA Johnson Space Center 
Greene, Maya  Ph.D. Wyle Laboratories/NASA Johnson Space Center 
Feiveson, Alan  Ph.D. NASA Johnson Space Center 
Key Personnel Changes / Previous PI: November 2018 report: Dr. Alan Feiveson was added as a co-investigator for the last year of the project to assist with statistical analyses. December 2016: Aniko Sandor, Ph.D., is no longer CoInvestigator on the project. December 2015: Shelby Thompson, Ph.D. removed from the project. Ernest Vince Cross, Ph.D. and Maya Greene, Ph.D. added to the project.
Project Information: Grant/Contract No. Directed Research 
Responsible Center: NASA JSC 
Grant Monitor: Williams, Thomas  
Center Contact: 281-483-8773 
thomas.j.will1@nasa.gov 
Unique ID: 9398  		Solicitation / Funding Source: Directed Research 
Grant/Contract No.: Directed Research 
Project Type: Flight 
Flight Program: ISS 
TechPort: No  		No. of Post Docs: 0 
No. of PhD Candidates: 0 
No. of Master's Candidates: 0 
No. of Bachelor's Candidates: 0  		No. of PhD Degrees: 1 
No. of Master's Degrees: 0 
No. of Bachelor's Degrees: 0 
Human Research Program Elements: (1) HFBP:Human Factors & Behavioral Performance (IRP Rev H)
Human Research Program Risks: (1) BMed:Risk of Adverse Cognitive or Behavioral Conditions and Psychiatric Disorders
(2) HSIA:Risk of Adverse Outcomes Due to Inadequate Human Systems Integration Architecture
(3) Sensorimotor:Risk of Altered Sensorimotor/Vestibular Function Impacting Critical Mission Tasks
Human Research Program Gaps: (1) BMed-101:Identify, quantify, and validate key selection factors for requisite performance on increasingly Earth-independent, long-duration, autonomous, and/or long-distance exploration missions
(2) BMed-108:Identify and characterize the potential impacts of combined spaceflight environmental stressors to inform both validated threshold limits and countermeasure for adverse C/P/Psy/N outcomes.
(3) HSIA-801:Given each crewmember will experience multiple spaceflight hazards (e.g. radiation, isolation and confinement, altered gravity), we need to evaluate and identify how HSI can further characterize and/or mitigate additive and/or synergistic effects of the spaceflight environment, for increasingly earth-independent, future exploration missions (including in-mission and at landing).
(4) SM-102:Characterize the effects of short and long-duration weightlessness, with and without deep-space radiation, on manual control (fine motor control) after G transitions.
Flight Assignment/Project Notes: ISS

NOTE: End date changed to 9/30/2018 per E. Connell (JSC HRP)--Ed., 6/25/18

NOTE: Element change to Human Factors & Behavioral Performance; previously Space Human Factors & Habitability (Ed., 1/19/17)

NOTE: End date changed to 6/29/2018 per E. Connell/M. Whitmore (JSC HRP)--Ed., 1/21/16

NOTE: Change in title to "Effects of Long-duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Control Skills" from "Effects of Long-duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Skills: 1-year ISS Investigation" per E. Connell/SHFH HRP (Ed., 8/19/15)

NOTE: Risk/Gaps per E. Connell/HRP (Ed., 3/20/14)

NOTE: Start date changed to 10/1/13 (from 6/25/13) per M. Whitmore/JSC (Ed., 2/24/14)

Task Description: Fine motor skills will be critical during long-duration space missions, particularly those skills needed to interact with new technologies required for autonomous operations in next-generation space vehicles, spacesuits, and habitats. Few, arguably no, studies have been completed to investigate this type of functional fine motor performance in microgravity. There has also not been a complete, systematic study of fine motor performance to include different phases of microgravity adaptation, long-term microgravity, and the sensorimotor recovery period after transition to Earth gravity (post landing). In addition, the studies conducted to date have not been conclusive regarding the effects of microgravity on fine motor control.

The opportunity to systematically collect fine motor performance data throughout a long-duration mission is of great value. It will add to our knowledge base and provide a vastly improved capability to judge the risk of performance decrements due to long-duration microgravity. The proposed investigation will also provide an additional measure of functional performance post-flight, and a new functional test in-flight. These data will contribute to closure of several research gaps and may drive in-flight mitigations and/or design decisions for future vehicles/habitats.

Specific Aims:

Aim 1: Determine the effects of long-duration microgravity on fine motor performance.

• How does fine motor performance in microgravity trend/vary over the duration of a six-month, and year-long space mission?

• How does fine motor performance on orbit compare with that of a closely matched subject on Earth?

Aim 2: Determine the effects of different gravitational transitions on fine motor performance.

• How does performance trend/vary before and after gravitational transitions, including the periods of early flight adaptation, and very early/near immediate post-flight periods?

Rationale for HRP Directed Research: This research is directed due to a time constraint. This proposal focuses on the research opportunity afforded by the 2015 year-long mission of two crewmembers aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Research Impact/Earth Benefits: The Fine Motor Skills test battery software was released for public use through the NASA Technical Reporting process, and the app will soon be available on the Apple app store. The test battery can be used to measure fine motor decrements in elderly or diseased populations. The software may also prove beneficial in rehabilitation of fine motor skills in elderly patients, people with motor disorders, and patients with brain injuries.

Task Progress & Bibliography Information FY2018 
Task Progress: Space travelers will endure many challenges as they embark on future long-duration missions beyond low Earth orbit. They will face isolation, confinement, a closed environment, space radiation, and long-duration microgravity. We know that the human body is impacted by these deleterious effects of spaceflight, and International Space Station (ISS) research over the last fifteen years has led to a basic understanding of these effects, as well as the efficacy of mitigations. One less studied area of spaceflight performance is fine motor skills. These skills involve the integration of visual information and coordination of muscles, bones, and nerves to produce small, precise movements of the small muscle groups of the hands and fingers. Fine motor skills will be critical for interacting with hardware and software-based controls to perform a variety of tasks such as information access, just-in-time training, subsystem maintenance, and medical treatment, among others. Fine motor skills are also critical for tasks involving hand controllers – flying a space vehicle, or teleoperating a robotic arm.

In the Effects of Long-duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Control Skills flight study, subjects completed a set of fine motor tasks on an iPad computer, with a stylus and finger. The tasks included: Pointing, Dragging, Shape Tracing, and Pinch-Rotate. Response times and errors for each task were captured and sent to the International Space Station (ISS) server for downlink once a week. Subjects performed the task approximately once a week for the first 3 months of the flight, and every 14 days for the remainder of the flight. Due to postflight crew time constraints, a short version of the Fine Motor Skills test battery (5 minutes) was used for the early postflight data sessions. The short sessions were completed on landing day (Return +0), R+1, and R+3, and regular-length sessions (15 min) were completed on R+5, R+15, and R+30. The study included two one-year subjects and seven standard duration (six-month) astronauts. Eight ground-matched subjects completed the study with the same schedule as the flight crew, lagged by a few weeks.

The Fine Motor Skills flight study was completed in 2018. Due to some technical issues with the data from the one-year mission, formal analyses have been focused on data from the seven standard duration subjects. Statistical analyses were performed to identify effects of long-duration microgravity on inflight fine motor performance, and effects of gravity-related transitions on fine motor performance. Results have implications for crew activities that must be completed with accuracy soon after landing on a planetary surface. Results are currently being prepared for submittal to a technical journal.

Bibliography: Description: (Last Updated: 10/29/2023) 

Show Cumulative Bibliography
 
Articles in Peer-reviewed Journals Holden K, Greene M, Vincent E, Sándor A, Thompson S, Feiveson A, Munson B. "Effects of long-duration microgravity and gravitational transitions on fine motor skills." Hum Factors. 2023 Sep;65(6):1046-1058. https://doi.org/10.1177/00187208221084486 ; PMID: 35609944 , Sep-2023
Back to Search Results    
Project Title:  Effects of Long-duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Control Skills Reduce
Fiscal Year: FY 2017 
Division: Human Research 
Research Discipline/Element:
HRP HFBP:Human Factors & Behavioral Performance (IRP Rev H)
 Start Date: 10/01/2013  
End Date: 09/30/2018  
Task Last Updated: 12/29/2016 		 Download Task Book report in PDF pdf
Principal Investigator/Affiliation:   Holden, Kritina  Ph.D. / Leidos Corporation at NASA Johnson Space Center 
Address:  2101 NASA Pkwy/SF3 
Mail Code: C46 
Houston , TX 77058-3607 		 Email: kritina.l.holden@nasa.gov 
Phone: 281-483-8829  
Congressional District: 22 
Web:  
 Organization Type: NASA CENTER 
Organization Name: Leidos Corporation at NASA Johnson Space Center 
Joint Agency:  
Comments:  
Co-Investigator(s)
Affiliation: 
Cross, Ernest  Ph.D. Leidos Corporation/NASA Johnson Space Center 
Greene, Maya  Ph.D. Wyle Laboratories/NASA Johnson Space Center 
Key Personnel Changes / Previous PI: December 2016: Aniko Sandor, PhD, is no longer CoInvestigator on the project. December 2015: Shelby Thompson, Ph.D. removed from the project. Ernest Vince Cross, Ph.D. and Maya Greene, Ph.D. added to the project.
Project Information: Grant/Contract No. Directed Research 
Responsible Center: NASA JSC 
Grant Monitor: Williams, Thomas  
Center Contact: 281-483-8773 
thomas.j.will1@nasa.gov 
Unique ID: 9398  		Solicitation / Funding Source: Directed Research 
Grant/Contract No.: Directed Research 
Project Type: Flight 
Flight Program: ISS 
TechPort: No  		No. of Post Docs: 0 
No. of PhD Candidates: 0 
No. of Master's Candidates: 0 
No. of Bachelor's Candidates: 0  		No. of PhD Degrees: 1 
No. of Master's Degrees: 0 
No. of Bachelor's Degrees: 0 
Human Research Program Elements: (1) HFBP:Human Factors & Behavioral Performance (IRP Rev H)
Human Research Program Risks: (1) BMed:Risk of Adverse Cognitive or Behavioral Conditions and Psychiatric Disorders
(2) HSIA:Risk of Adverse Outcomes Due to Inadequate Human Systems Integration Architecture
(3) Sensorimotor:Risk of Altered Sensorimotor/Vestibular Function Impacting Critical Mission Tasks
Human Research Program Gaps: (1) BMed-101:Identify, quantify, and validate key selection factors for requisite performance on increasingly Earth-independent, long-duration, autonomous, and/or long-distance exploration missions
(2) BMed-108:Identify and characterize the potential impacts of combined spaceflight environmental stressors to inform both validated threshold limits and countermeasure for adverse C/P/Psy/N outcomes.
(3) HSIA-801:Given each crewmember will experience multiple spaceflight hazards (e.g. radiation, isolation and confinement, altered gravity), we need to evaluate and identify how HSI can further characterize and/or mitigate additive and/or synergistic effects of the spaceflight environment, for increasingly earth-independent, future exploration missions (including in-mission and at landing).
(4) SM-102:Characterize the effects of short and long-duration weightlessness, with and without deep-space radiation, on manual control (fine motor control) after G transitions.
Flight Assignment/Project Notes: ISS

NOTE: End date changed to 9/30/2018 per E. Connell (JSC HRP)--Ed., 6/25/18

NOTE: Element change to Human Factors & Behavioral Performance; previously Space Human Factors & Habitability (Ed., 1/19/17)

NOTE: End date changed to 6/29/2018 per E. Connell/M. Whitmore (JSC HRP)--Ed., 1/21/16

NOTE: Change in title to "Effects of Long-duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Control Skills" from "Effects of Long-duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Skills: 1-year ISS Investigation" per E. Connell/SHFH HRP (Ed., 8/19/15)

NOTE: Risk/Gaps per E. Connell/HRP (Ed., 3/20/14)

NOTE: Start date changed to 10/1/13 (from 6/25/13) per M. Whitmore/JSC (Ed., 2/24/14)

Task Description: Fine motor skills will be critical during long-duration space missions, particularly those skills needed to interact with new technologies required for autonomous operations in next-generation space vehicles, spacesuits, and habitats. Few, arguably no, studies have been completed to investigate this type of functional fine motor performance in microgravity. There has also not been a complete, systematic study of fine motor performance to include different phases of microgravity adaptation, long-term microgravity, and the sensorimotor recovery period after transition to Earth gravity (post landing). In addition, the studies conducted to date have not been conclusive regarding the effects of microgravity on fine motor control.

The opportunity to systematically collect fine motor performance data throughout a long-duration mission is of great value. It will add to our knowledge base and provide a vastly improved capability to judge the risk of performance decrements due to long-duration microgravity. The proposed investigation will also supplement two other sensorimotor 1-yr investigations by providing an additional measure of functional performance post-flight, and a new sensorimotor functional test in-flight. These data will contribute to closure of several research gaps and may drive in-flight mitigations and/or design decisions for future vehicles/habitats.

Specific Aims:

Aim 1: Determine the effects of long-duration microgravity on fine motor performance.

• How does fine motor performance in microgravity trend/vary over the duration of a six-month, and year-long space mission?

• How does fine motor performance on orbit compare with that of a closely matched subject on Earth?

Aim 2: Determine the effects of different gravitational transitions on fine motor performance.

• How does performance trend/vary before and after gravitational transitions, including the periods of early flight adaptation, and very early/near immediate post-flight periods?

Rationale for HRP Directed Research: This research is directed due to a time constraint. This proposal focuses on the research opportunity afforded by the 2015 year-long mission of two crewmembers aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Research Impact/Earth Benefits: The Fine Motor Skills computer-based tasks could be used to measure fine motor decrements in elderly or diseased populations. The tasks may also prove beneficial in rehabilitation of fine motor skills in elderly patients, people with motor disorders, and patients with brain injuries.

The handhold developed to keep the iPad stable during task performance could be commercialized for general use with iPads.

Task Progress & Bibliography Information FY2017 
Task Progress: In the Effects of Long-duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Control Skills study, subjects complete a 15 minute set of fine motor tasks on an iPad computer, with a stylus and finger. The tasks include: Pointing, Dragging, Shape Tracing, and Pinch-Rotate. Response times and errors for each task are captured and sent to the International Space Station (ISS) server for downlink once a week. Subjects perform the task approximately once a week for the first 3 months of the flight, and every two weeks for the remainder of the flight. Due to postflight crew time constraints, a short version of the Fine Motor Skills test battery (7 minutes) is used for some of the postflight data sessions. The short sessions are completed on R+0, R+1, and R+3, and regular-length sessions are completed on R+5, R+15, and R+30.

The study includes two 1-year subjects (U.S. astronaut and Russian cosmonaut), and six standard duration (6-month) astronauts. A ground subject matched to the 1-year U.S. astronaut has also completed the study with the same schedule, lagged by a few weeks. Six ground subjects matched to the standard-duration subjects have also started their participation, on schedule with their flight counterparts.

The study is progressing very well. We have completed data collection for 2 1-year subjects and 4 standard duration subjects, and all data have been successfully downlinked for analysis. Two standard duration crew subjects have recently begun their flight sessions on ISS. Due to some challenges with missing data over the course of the flight study thus far, an additional standard duration flight subject and ground-match are planned to begin the study this fiscal year. These subjects will complete the current planned dataset for the study.

As data are received via downlink, the team is assessing the trends in performance for response time and errors for each of the four fine motor tasks.

Bibliography: Description: (Last Updated: 10/29/2023) 

Show Cumulative Bibliography
 
 None in FY 2017
Back to Search Results    
Project Title:  Effects of Long-duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Control Skills Reduce
Fiscal Year: FY 2016 
Division: Human Research 
Research Discipline/Element:
HRP HFBP:Human Factors & Behavioral Performance (IRP Rev H)
 Start Date: 10/01/2013  
End Date: 06/29/2018  
Task Last Updated: 12/16/2015 		 Download Task Book report in PDF pdf
Principal Investigator/Affiliation:   Holden, Kritina  Ph.D. / Leidos Corporation at NASA Johnson Space Center 
Address:  2101 NASA Pkwy/SF3 
Mail Code: C46 
Houston , TX 77058-3607 		 Email: kritina.l.holden@nasa.gov 
Phone: 281-483-8829  
Congressional District: 22 
Web:  
 Organization Type: NASA CENTER 
Organization Name: Leidos Corporation at NASA Johnson Space Center 
Joint Agency:  
Comments:  
Co-Investigator(s)
Affiliation: 
Sandor, Aniko  Lockheed Martin/NASA Johnson Space Center 
Cross, Ernest Vince Ph.D. Lockheed Martin/NASA Johnson Space Center 
Greene, Maya R Ph.D. Wyle Laboratories/NASA Johnson Space Center 
Key Personnel Changes / Previous PI: December 2015: Shelby Thompson, Ph.D. removed from the project. Ernest Vince Cross, Ph.D. and Maya Greene, Ph.D. added to the project.
Project Information: Grant/Contract No. Directed Research 
Responsible Center: NASA JSC 
Grant Monitor: Whitmore, Mihriban  
Center Contact: 281-244-1004 
mihriban.whitmore-1@nasa.gov 
Unique ID: 9398  		Solicitation / Funding Source: Directed Research 
Grant/Contract No.: Directed Research 
Project Type: Flight 
Flight Program: ISS 
TechPort: No  		No. of Post Docs: 0 
No. of PhD Candidates: 0 
No. of Master's Candidates: 0 
No. of Bachelor's Candidates: 0  		No. of PhD Degrees: 1 
No. of Master's Degrees: 0 
No. of Bachelor's Degrees: 0 
Human Research Program Elements: (1) HFBP:Human Factors & Behavioral Performance (IRP Rev H)
Human Research Program Risks: (1) BMed:Risk of Adverse Cognitive or Behavioral Conditions and Psychiatric Disorders
(2) HSIA:Risk of Adverse Outcomes Due to Inadequate Human Systems Integration Architecture
(3) Sensorimotor:Risk of Altered Sensorimotor/Vestibular Function Impacting Critical Mission Tasks
Human Research Program Gaps: (1) BMed-101:Identify, quantify, and validate key selection factors for requisite performance on increasingly Earth-independent, long-duration, autonomous, and/or long-distance exploration missions
(2) BMed-108:Identify and characterize the potential impacts of combined spaceflight environmental stressors to inform both validated threshold limits and countermeasure for adverse C/P/Psy/N outcomes.
(3) HSIA-801:Given each crewmember will experience multiple spaceflight hazards (e.g. radiation, isolation and confinement, altered gravity), we need to evaluate and identify how HSI can further characterize and/or mitigate additive and/or synergistic effects of the spaceflight environment, for increasingly earth-independent, future exploration missions (including in-mission and at landing).
(4) SM-102:Characterize the effects of short and long-duration weightlessness, with and without deep-space radiation, on manual control (fine motor control) after G transitions.
Flight Assignment/Project Notes: ISS

NOTE: End date changed to 6/29/2018 per E. Connell/M. Whitmore (JSC HRP)--Ed., 1/21/16

NOTE: Change in title to "Effects of Long-duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Control Skills" from "Effects of Long-duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Skills: 1-year ISS Investigation" per E. Connell/SHFH HRP (Ed., 8/19/15)

NOTE: Risk/Gaps per E. Connell/HRP (Ed., 3/20/14)

NOTE: Start date changed to 10/1/13 (from 6/25/13) per M. Whitmore/JSC (Ed., 2/24/14)

Task Description: Fine motor skills will be critical during long-duration space missions, particularly those skills needed to interact with new technologies required for autonomous operations in next-generation space vehicles, spacesuits, and habitats. Few, arguably no, studies have been completed to investigate this type of functional fine motor performance in microgravity. There has also not been a complete, systematic study of fine motor performance to include different phases of microgravity adaptation, long-term microgravity, and the sensorimotor recovery period after transition to Earth gravity (post landing). In addition, the studies conducted to date have not been conclusive regarding the effects of microgravity on fine motor control.

The opportunity to systematically collect fine motor performance data throughout a long-duration mission is of great value. It will add to our knowledge base and provide a vastly improved capability to judge the risk of performance decrements due to long-duration microgravity. The proposed investigation will also supplement two other sensorimotor 1-yr investigations by providing an additional measure of functional performance post-flight, and a new sensorimotor functional test in-flight. These data will contribute to closure of several research gaps and may drive in-flight mitigations and/or design decisions for future vehicles/habitats.

Specific Aims:

Aim 1: Determine the effects of long-duration microgravity on fine motor performance.

• How does fine motor performance in microgravity trend/vary over the duration of a six-month, and year-long space mission?

• How does fine motor performance on orbit compare with that of a closely matched subject on Earth?

Aim 2: Determine the effects of different gravitational transitions on fine motor performance.

• How does performance trend/vary before and after gravitational transitions, including the periods of early flight adaptation, and very early/near immediate post-flight periods?

Rationale for HRP Directed Research: This research is directed due to a time constraint. This proposal focuses on the research opportunity afforded by the 2015 year-long mission of two crewmembers aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Research Impact/Earth Benefits: The Fine Motor Skills computer-based tasks could be used to measure fine motor decrements in elderly or diseased populations. The tasks may also prove beneficial in rehabilitation of fine motor skills in elderly patients, people with motor disorders, and patients with brain injuries.

The handhold developed to keep the iPad stable during task performance could be commercialized for general use with iPads.

Task Progress & Bibliography Information FY2016 
Task Progress: In the Effects of Long-duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Control Skills study, subjects complete a 15 minute set of fine motor tasks on an iPad computer with a stylus and finger. The tasks include: Pointing, Dragging, Shape Tracing, and Pinch-Rotate. Response times and errors for each task are captured and sent to the ISS server for downlink once a week. Subjects perform the task once a week for the first 3 months of the flight, and every two weeks for the remainder of the flight. The study includes two 1-year subjects (U.S. astronaut and Russian cosmonaut), and six standard duration (6-month) astronauts. A ground subject matched to the 1-year U.S. astronaut is also completing the study with the same schedule, lagged by a few weeks. Six ground subjects matched to the standard-duration subjects will be entering the study soon (on schedule with their flight counterparts).

The study is progressing very well. We have completed 31 flight sessions to date for the 1-year subjects, and all data have been successfully downlinked for analysis. The first two standard duration (6-month) crew subjects have just joined the crew on ISS and are beginning their early flight sessions.

The team is plotting the data as they come in to begin looking at possible trends in performance for response time and errors for each of the four fine motor tasks.

A shorter post-flight Fine Motor Skills test battery has been developed, and is currently being tested in preparation for the ISS 1-year mission landing. It was made shorter to address post-flight crew time constraints, and contains a sampling of Fine Motor Skills task variations. The post-flight software will be used on R+0, R+1, and R+3.

Bibliography: Description: (Last Updated: 10/29/2023) 

Show Cumulative Bibliography
 
 None in FY 2016
Back to Search Results    
Project Title:  Effects of Long-duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Control Skills Reduce
Fiscal Year: FY 2015 
Division: Human Research 
Research Discipline/Element:
HRP HFBP:Human Factors & Behavioral Performance (IRP Rev H)
 Start Date: 10/01/2013  
End Date: 12/30/2016  
Task Last Updated: 10/29/2014 		 Download Task Book report in PDF pdf
Principal Investigator/Affiliation:   Holden, Kritina  Ph.D. / Leidos Corporation at NASA Johnson Space Center 
Address:  2101 NASA Pkwy/SF3 
Mail Code: C46 
Houston , TX 77058-3607 		 Email: kritina.l.holden@nasa.gov 
Phone: 281-483-8829  
Congressional District: 22 
Web:  
 Organization Type: NASA CENTER 
Organization Name: Leidos Corporation at NASA Johnson Space Center 
Joint Agency:  
Comments:  
Co-Investigator(s)
Affiliation: 
Thompson, Shelby  NASA JSC/Lockheed Martin 
Sandor, Aniko  NASA JSC/Lockheed Martin 
Key Personnel Changes / Previous PI: None
Project Information: Grant/Contract No. Directed Research 
Responsible Center: NASA JSC 
Grant Monitor: Whitmore, Mihriban  
Center Contact: 281-244-1004 
mihriban.whitmore-1@nasa.gov 
Unique ID: 9398  		Solicitation / Funding Source: Directed Research 
Grant/Contract No.: Directed Research 
Project Type: Flight 
Flight Program: ISS 
TechPort: No  		No. of Post Docs: 0 
No. of PhD Candidates: 0 
No. of Master's Candidates: 0 
No. of Bachelor's Candidates: 0  		No. of PhD Degrees: 0 
No. of Master's Degrees: 0 
No. of Bachelor's Degrees: 0 
Human Research Program Elements: (1) HFBP:Human Factors & Behavioral Performance (IRP Rev H)
Human Research Program Risks: (1) BMed:Risk of Adverse Cognitive or Behavioral Conditions and Psychiatric Disorders
(2) HSIA:Risk of Adverse Outcomes Due to Inadequate Human Systems Integration Architecture
(3) Sensorimotor:Risk of Altered Sensorimotor/Vestibular Function Impacting Critical Mission Tasks
Human Research Program Gaps: (1) BMed-101:Identify, quantify, and validate key selection factors for requisite performance on increasingly Earth-independent, long-duration, autonomous, and/or long-distance exploration missions
(2) BMed-108:Identify and characterize the potential impacts of combined spaceflight environmental stressors to inform both validated threshold limits and countermeasure for adverse C/P/Psy/N outcomes.
(3) HSIA-801:Given each crewmember will experience multiple spaceflight hazards (e.g. radiation, isolation and confinement, altered gravity), we need to evaluate and identify how HSI can further characterize and/or mitigate additive and/or synergistic effects of the spaceflight environment, for increasingly earth-independent, future exploration missions (including in-mission and at landing).
(4) SM-102:Characterize the effects of short and long-duration weightlessness, with and without deep-space radiation, on manual control (fine motor control) after G transitions.
Flight Assignment/Project Notes: ISS

NOTE: Change in title to "Effects of Long-duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Control Skills" from "Effects of Long-duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Skills: 1-year ISS Investigation" per E. Connell/SHFH HRP (Ed., 8/19/15)

NOTE: Risk/Gaps per E. Connell/HRP (Ed., 3/20/14)

NOTE: Start date changed to 10/1/13 (from 6/25/13) per M. Whitmore/JSC (Ed., 2/24/14)

Task Description: Fine motor skills will be critical during long-duration space missions, particularly those skills needed to interact with new technologies required for autonomous operations in next-generation space vehicles, spacesuits, and habitats. Few, arguably no, studies have been completed to investigate this type of functional fine motor performance in microgravity. There has also not been a complete, systematic study of fine motor performance to include different phases of microgravity adaptation, long-term microgravity, and the sensorimotor recovery period after transition to Earth gravity (post landing). In addition, the studies conducted to date have not been conclusive regarding the effects of microgravity on fine motor control.

The opportunity to systematically collect fine motor performance data throughout a long-duration mission is of great value. It will add to our knowledgebase and provide a vastly improved capability to judge the risk of performance decrements due to long-duration microgravity. The proposed investigation will also supplement two other sensorimotor 1-yr investigations by providing an additional measure of functional performance post-flight, and a new sensorimotor functional test in-flight. These data will contribute to closure of several research gaps and may drive in-flight mitigations and/or design decisions for future vehicles/habitats.

Specific Aims:

Aim 1: Determine the effects of long-duration microgravity on fine motor performance.

• How does fine motor performance in microgravity trend/vary over the duration of a six-month, and year-long space mission?

• How does fine motor performance on orbit compare with that of a closely matched subject on Earth?

Aim 2: Determine the effects of different gravitational transitions on fine motor performance.

• How does performance trend/vary before and after gravitational transitions, including the periods of early flight adaptation, and very early/near immediate post-flight periods?

Rationale for HRP Directed Research: This research is directed due to a time constraint. This proposal focuses on the research opportunity afforded by the 2015 year-long mission of two crewmembers aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Research Impact/Earth Benefits: The Fine Motor Skills computer-based tasks could be used to measure fine motor decrements in elderly or diseased populations. The tasks may also prove beneficial in rehabilitation of fine motor skills in elderly patients, people with motor disorders, and patients with brain injuries.

The handhold developed to keep the iPad stable during task performance could be commercialized for general use with iPads.

Task Progress & Bibliography Information FY2015 
Task Progress: The Fine Motor Skills study is planned to launch in March, 2015 as part of the first ISS one-year mission. Standard duration subjects on subsequent missions will participate as well, for a total of 6 standard duration and 2 one-year mission subjects. The study will be conducted on an iPad, using the finger and a stylus to complete 4 types of fine motor tasks. The past year (FY14) has been spent preparing the hardware, software, and documentation required for the study to fly on ISS.

A custom handhold for the iPad was designed, prototyped, tested, and manufactured for use with the study. A commercial stylus was selected and purchased.

The custom task software was completed, and it includes four fine motor tasks: pointing, dragging, tracing, and pinch-rotate. The software quality certification paperwork was developed and approved, usability and functionality tests were completed successfully, and the final software was delivered for installation on the ISS iPads.

Experiment documentation was developed, and Informed Consent Briefings (ICBs) were completed for the 2 one-year crewmembers, and 4 standard-duration crew. ICBs will continue until the full set of subjects has been run. Familiarization and baseline data collection sessions will be held in the coming months for the one-year and standard duration crew who have agreed to participate in the study.

Bibliography: Description: (Last Updated: 10/29/2023) 

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Abstracts for Journals and Proceedings Thaxton, S, Holden K, Barshi I. "Space Human Factors Engineering (SHFE) ISS One-Year Mission Investigations." Presented at the 2014 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop, Galveston, TX, February 12-13, 2014.

2014 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop, Galveston, TX, February 12-13, 2014. http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/hrp2014/pdf/3292.pdf , Feb-2014

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Project Title:  Effects of Long-duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Control Skills Reduce
Fiscal Year: FY 2014 
Division: Human Research 
Research Discipline/Element:
HRP HFBP:Human Factors & Behavioral Performance (IRP Rev H)
 Start Date: 10/01/2013  
End Date: 12/30/2016  
Task Last Updated: 08/27/2013 		 Download Task Book report in PDF pdf
Principal Investigator/Affiliation:   Holden, Kritina  Ph.D. / Leidos Corporation at NASA Johnson Space Center 
Address:  2101 NASA Pkwy/SF3 
Mail Code: C46 
Houston , TX 77058-3607 		 Email: kritina.l.holden@nasa.gov 
Phone: 281-483-8829  
Congressional District: 22 
Web:  
 Organization Type: NASA CENTER 
Organization Name: Leidos Corporation at NASA Johnson Space Center 
Joint Agency:  
Comments:  
Co-Investigator(s)
Affiliation: 
Thompson, Shelby  NASA JSC/Lockheed Martin 
Sandor, Aniko  NASA JSC/Lockheed Martin 
Project Information: Grant/Contract No. Directed Research 
Responsible Center: NASA JSC 
Grant Monitor: Whitmore, Mihriban  
Center Contact: 281-244-1004 
mihriban.whitmore-1@nasa.gov 
Unique ID: 9398  		Solicitation / Funding Source: Directed Research 
Grant/Contract No.: Directed Research 
Project Type: Flight 
Flight Program: ISS 
TechPort: No  		No. of Post Docs:  
No. of PhD Candidates:  
No. of Master's Candidates:  
No. of Bachelor's Candidates:   		No. of PhD Degrees:  
No. of Master's Degrees:  
No. of Bachelor's Degrees:  
Human Research Program Elements: (1) HFBP:Human Factors & Behavioral Performance (IRP Rev H)
Human Research Program Risks: (1) BMed:Risk of Adverse Cognitive or Behavioral Conditions and Psychiatric Disorders
(2) HSIA:Risk of Adverse Outcomes Due to Inadequate Human Systems Integration Architecture
(3) Sensorimotor:Risk of Altered Sensorimotor/Vestibular Function Impacting Critical Mission Tasks
Human Research Program Gaps: (1) BMed-101:Identify, quantify, and validate key selection factors for requisite performance on increasingly Earth-independent, long-duration, autonomous, and/or long-distance exploration missions
(2) BMed-108:Identify and characterize the potential impacts of combined spaceflight environmental stressors to inform both validated threshold limits and countermeasure for adverse C/P/Psy/N outcomes.
(3) HSIA-801:Given each crewmember will experience multiple spaceflight hazards (e.g. radiation, isolation and confinement, altered gravity), we need to evaluate and identify how HSI can further characterize and/or mitigate additive and/or synergistic effects of the spaceflight environment, for increasingly earth-independent, future exploration missions (including in-mission and at landing).
(4) SM-102:Characterize the effects of short and long-duration weightlessness, with and without deep-space radiation, on manual control (fine motor control) after G transitions.
Flight Assignment/Project Notes: ISS

NOTE: Change in title to "Effects of Long-duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Control Skills" from "Effects of Long-duration Microgravity on Fine Motor Skills: 1-year ISS Investigation" per E. Connell/SHFH HRP (Ed., 8/19/15)

NOTE: Risk/Gaps per E. Connell/HRP (Ed., 3/20/14)

NOTE: Start date changed to 10/1/13 (from 6/25/13) per M. Whitmore/JSC (Ed., 2/24/14)

Task Description: This proposal focuses on the research opportunity afforded by the 2015 year-long mission of two crewmembers on ISS. Fine motor skills will be critical during long-duration space missions, particularly those skills needed to interact with new technologies required for autonomous operations in next-generation space vehicles, spacesuits, and habitats. Few, arguably no studies have been completed to investigate this type of functional fine motor performance in microgravity. There has also not been a complete, systematic study of fine motor performance to include different phases of microgravity adaptation, long-term microgravity, and the sensorimotor recovery period after transition to Earth gravity (post landing). In addition, the studies conducted to date have not been conclusive regarding the effects of microgravity on fine motor control.

An ideal research plan to address this challenge would include an operational or highly representative environment available for testing long-duration performance in microgravity (greater than 6 months), and 20-30 subjects who can provide data pre-environment (baseline), during various phases of the test environment, and post-environment. The upcoming 1-yr ISS mission will provide the desired environment, but will offer only 2 in-flight subjects. It is unknown at this time whether there will be additional 1-yr flight opportunities in the future. While the statistical challenges of using only 2 subjects cannot be ignored, there are experimental designs tailored for these situations. In addition, the opportunity to systematically collect fine motor performance data throughout a long-duration mission is of great value. It will add to our knowledgebase and provide a vastly improved capability to judge the risk of performance decrements due to long-duration microgravity. The proposed investigation will also supplement two other sensorimotor 1-yr investigations by providing an additional measure of functional performance post-flight, and a new sensorimotor functional test in-flight. These data will contribute to closure of several research gaps and may drive in-flight mitigations and/or design decisions for future vehicles/habitats.

Specific Aims:

Aim 1: Determine the effects of long-duration microgravity on fine motor performance.

• How does fine motor performance in microgravity trend/vary over the duration of a year-long space mission?

• How does fine motor performance on orbit compare with that of a closely matched subject on Earth?

Aim 2: Determine the effects of different gravitational transitions on fine motor performance.

• How does performance trend/vary before and after gravitational transitions, including the periods of early flight adaptation, and very early/near immediate post-flight periods?

Rationale for HRP Directed Research: This research is directed due to a time constraint. This proposal focuses on the research opportunity afforded by the 2015 year-long mission of two crewmembers aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Research Impact/Earth Benefits:

Task Progress & Bibliography Information FY2014 
Task Progress: New project for FY2014.

(Ed. note 2/24/14--start date changed from 6/25/2013 to 10/1/2013 so that task now started in FY2014 instead of FY2013.)

Bibliography: Description: (Last Updated: 10/29/2023) 

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 None in FY 2014
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