Visual stimuli for the Outer Space habitability.
- Paper number
IAC-08.E5.I.1
- Author
Ms. Irene Lia Schlacht, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany
- Coauthor
Prof. Melchiorre Masali, Università degli Studi di Torino, Italy
- Coauthor
Prof. Matthias Rötting, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany
- Year
2008
- Abstract
Key words: habitability, outer space, visual design, visual input, eco-mimetic.
Extreme and confined conditions affect psycho-physiologically human beings. In outer space, astronauts are exposed to high level of psycho-physiological stress factors (isolation, radiations, µgravity…). The objective of this study is to use visual stimuli in order to increase the reliability, the well being and the productivity of the astronauts. “Visual input”, in this perspective, stands for both mental visualization (inner imagery) and visual sense perception (environmental communication). Considering the confinement from the Earth, in particular the use of Eco-mimetic based images may help to go beyond the isolation.
The research on the potentials of visual input under extreme and confined environmental conditions is focuses on the following question: - How can visual design increase the outer space habitability? - How can we use visual creativity to sustain the psychological deprivation sense? - How can Eco-Mimetic visual input help to survive in the extreme confinement.
In outer space habitat the visual elements such as colors and symbols bear considerably more significance than usual; after 3-4 days spent in weightlessness “people suppress vestibular signals and become increasingly dependent on vision to perceive motion and orientation”, (Mallove, 1991). As a consequence the body orientation under such condition is possible only through visual and "self-perception" functions. Visual Design is of primary importance for the habitability of spacecrafts also bearing in mind that under normal conditions human perception is 70
Visual input can also be created solely as an inner image, enhancing the skills for mental visualization with creative training process. Imagination of a relaxing open earthly panorama is used widely in psychology (coping techniques for stress as art therapy), in meditation, and can be indeed useful to minimize the tension of a extremely confined place.
Taking into account the isolation from the mother Earth, in the spacecraft interiors bio-mimetic visual stimuli may be considered to create an artificial ecosystem able to meet the needs from which the life evolved. An intuitive visual information can be based on our experiences of nature, for example the recall of color configuration present in nature may be useful to the up and down sense of orientation, it may have a better effect on the reliability of the astronauts in comparison with the textual information such as “up and down” labels which are currently in use to attain the orientation on the International Space Station.
Visual design project takes into account: visual ergonomics, psycho-physiological and cultural anthropology aspects. Microgravitational body adaptation involves strong changes in visual perception, angle of vision and color perception, these facts should be kept in mind in designing visual information and orientation.
As a final point, the practice of "visual design" in space habitats is expected to create a communication system based on colors and icons capable to transmit "information" concerning safety, orientation, danger and emergency situations regarding the confined and extreme conditions. Moreover mental visual stimuli can improve the feeling of well-being and the psychological reliability of the astronauts.
This line of reasoning is currently a research topic at the Chair of Human-Machine Systems at the psychology and ergonomics Department of the Berlin Technical University.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-08.E5.I.1.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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