The German astronaut Alexander Gerst uses the virtual reality glasses Oculus Rift in a French research project. What are scientists studying in the zero-gravity of space?
Virtual Reality is not only suitable for entertainment, planning, production and education, but also for research. German astronaut Alexander Gerst is participating in a study aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to help scientists better understand human hand-eye coordination.
GRASP: VR as a research tool
As the European Space Agency (ESA) shows in a video, Gerst carries a modified version of the Oculus Rift on board the ISS and reaches for objects in virtual space. Infrared sensors on the HMD, controller and belt should enable exact position tracking of the hand in relation to the rest of the body.
The French research programme Gravitational References for Sensimotor Performance (GRASP) aims to give scientists a better understanding of how the human brain uses optical and acoustic information for hand-eye coordination. The focus is on a very special influencing factor.
Does gravity affect the perception apparatus?
In the context of the study, the researchers want to find out in particular what role gravity plays in the functioning of our central nervous system. Therefore, the same tests are also performed on Earth and the results are compared with those from weightless space.
A better understanding of hand-eye coordination could help researchers in the future to treat balance and orientation disorders and to help dizzy patients, for example. Advantages for space travel are also conceivable when it comes to spacewalks or effective remote control of robots.
It is not the first time that virtual reality has been used for research purposes: The technology was already used on board the ISS in 2016 and is now also used for research in the fields of biomedicine and human psychology.
What do you think of the use of the Oculus Rift in space? Can you think of other research purposes for VR? Share your opinion in the comments!