Modeling the Impact of Space Suit Components and Anthropometry on the Center of Mass of a Seated Crewmember

Abstract

The Crew Impact Attenuation System (CIAS) is the energy-absorbing strut concept that dampens Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) landing loads to levels sustainable by the crew. Significant COM variations across suited crew configurations would amplify the inertial effects of the pallet and potentially create unacceptable crew loading during launch and landing. The objective of this study was to obtain data needed for dynamic simulation models by quantifying the effects https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20100008465 2018-05-09T16:53:04+00:00Z of posture, suit components, and the expected range of anthropometry on the COM of a seated individual.Several elements are required for the COM calculation of a suited human in a seated position: anthropometry, body segment mass, suit component mass, suit component location relative to the body, and joint angles defining the seated posture. Three-dimensional (3D) human body models, suit mass data, and vector calculus were utilized to compute the COM positions for 12 boundary manikins in two different seated postures.The analysis focused on two objectives: (1) quantify how much the wholebody COM varied from the smallest to largest subject and (2) quantify the effects of the suit components on the overall COM in each seat configuration. The location of the anterior-posterior COM varied across all boundary manikins by about 7 cm, and the vertical COM varied by approximately 9 to 10 cm. The mediolateral COM varied by 1.2 cm from the midline sagittal plane for both seat configurations. The suit components caused an anterior shift of the total COM by approximately 2 cm and a shift to the right along the mediolateral axis of 0.4 cm for both seat configurations. When the seat configuration was in the standard posture the suited vertical COM shifted inferiorly by as much as 1 cm, whereas in the CEV posture the vertical COM had no appreciable change. These general differences were due to the high proportion of suit mass located in the boots and lower legs and their corresponding distance from the body COM, as well as to the prevalence of suit components on the right side of the body.

Towards virtual ergonomics: aviation and aerospace

“…In another study, DHM was used to evaluate astronaut tasks in preliminary design phase of a European space agency module built for manned space flights to international space station (Sundin et al, 2000). Impact of space suit parts and body dimensions on center of mass of a seated crew member was assessed using digital manikin as a part of the suit development process (Blackledge et al, 2011).…”