ISS Science for Everyone

OpNom: Elite-S2

Principal Investigator(s)
Francesco Lacquaniti, M.D., University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy

Co-Investigator(s)/Collaborator(s)
Fondazione Santa Lucia, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
Giancarlo Ferrigno, Ph.D., Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
Myrka Zago, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy

Developer(s)
Italian Space Agency (ASI), Rome, Italy
Kayser Italia Srl., Livorno, Italy

Sponsoring Space Agency
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Sponsoring Organization
NASA - Italian Space Agency (ASI)

Research Benefits
Information Pending

ISS Expedition Duration
October 2007 - October 2008; May 2012 - March 2013

Expeditions Assigned
16,17,31/32,33/34

Previous Missions
The predecessor to this investigation, ELITE-S, was flown on EUROMIR in 1995. A similar experiment, KINELITE, flew on STS-90.

Research Overview

• On Earth, the ability to catch a ball depends on a mental model of the physical behavior of that object, a model that includes gravity. In a microgravity environment, crewmembers adjust their motor control strategies to respond to new rules, but still show evidence that the old gravity-based rules are hard-wired into their brains through neural networks.



• This experiment evaluates differences in the way the brain controls conscious and unconscious motions such as breathing, sitting and standing in environments with and without gravity.

Description

Several experiments done on orbit have demonstrated that similar neural and cognitive mechanisms participate during both imagining and executing a movement. A previous Neurolab study showed that crewmembers used an internal model of gravity, even in microgravity, to initiate the movements of catching a dropped ball. This demonstrated that gravity representation is built into the neural networks involved in planning interceptive movements. More recently, it has been uncovered that activity in the vestibular cortex represents the neural substrate of the internal model of Newton's law in the Earth's gravitational field. However, mental imagery of the laws of motion of objects has not been studied in space to date.

ELITE-S2 provides a system for observations on body motor control during long term exposure to microgravity and performs quantitative data collection and analysis on board the International Space Station (ISS). The primary goal of ELITE-S2 is to study the strategies for dynamic control of posture and body motion and adaptive mechanisms which allow adjustment of motor control strategies resulting from exposure to microgravity. ELITE-S2 investigates whether gravity representation also affects mental imagery of an interceptive task in microgravity. In addition, it investigates the effects of weightlessness on breathing mechanisms.

To better understand the neural mechanism for motor control in microgravity, ELITE-S2 analyzes movement of crewmembers from sitting to standing while monitoring the quantitative postural response to optokinetic stimulation (visual tracking of motion). The role of sensory inputs in the organization of the locomotion patterns and the role of sensorimotor integration mechanisms are evaluated during pointing and reaching tasks. Cardiorespiratory physiology is examined by quantitatively analyzing the chest wall compartment mechanics. To aid in ergonomic design and human factors for future spacecraft design, this investigation also evaluates working posture.

Understanding the ability of the human brain to mentally represent the presence or absence of gravity is key to training crewmembers to complete tasks in a low gravity environment. Ergonomics findings from this study can be used in the design of future spacecraft and space-qualified systems.

Two experiment protocols have been defined for ELITE-S2:

• Imagery of object Motion Affected by Gravity in null gravity Experiments for ELITE-S2 (IMAGINE-2): On Earth our ability to catch a ball depends on a mental model of the physical behavior of that object, a model that includes gravity. In a microgravity environment, crewmembers adjust their motor control strategies to respond to new rules, but still show evidence that the old gravity based rules are hard wired into their brains through neural networks.



• Movement in Orbit Vehicle Experiments (MOVE): This experiment evaluates differences in the way the brain controls conscious and unconscious motions such as bending trunk, pointing and reaching objects in environments with and without gravity.

Space Applications
This study allows for the application of ergonomics in the design of future spacecraft and determines the effects of microgravity on breathing mechanisms for long-duration missions.

Earth Applications
This study has important implications not only for understanding basic mechanisms of motor control, but also for rehabilitative training of neurological patients with impaired motor control. New rehabilitation techniques are based on virtual reality and mental rehearsal of motor actions.

Operational Requirements and Protocols

Information Pending

Information Pending

Neri G, Cotronei V, Mascetti G, Pignataro S, Zolesi V.  Elite S2 - An instrument for motion analysis on board the international space station. 60th International Astronautical Congress, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; 2009 Oct 12-16 17 pp.



Casellato C, Pedrocchi AL, Ferrigno G.  Whole-body movements in long-term weightlessness: Hierarchies of the controlled variables are gravity-dependent. Journal of Motor Behavior. 2016 December 27; 49(5): 568-579. DOI: 10.1080/00222895.2016.1247032. PMID: 28027021.

Pedrocchi AL, Pedotti A, Baroni G, Massion J, Ferrigno G.  Inverse dynamic investigation for voluntary trunk movements in weightlessness: a new microgravity-specific strategy. Journal of Biomechanics. 2003; 36: 1691-1700.



Amir AR, Baroni G, Pedrocchi AL, Newman DJ, Ferrigno G, Pedotti A.  Measuring Astronaut Performance on the ISS: Advanced Kinematic and Kinetic Instrumentation. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Part A, Systems and Humans. 2001; 50(5): 1450-1455.



Pedrocchi AL, Baroni G, Sada S, Marcon E, Pedotti A, Ferrigno G.  Optimisation of shape kernel and threshold in image-processing motion analysers. Medical and Biological Engineering & Computing. 2001; 39(5): 525-533.



Ferrigno G, Neri G, Pedotti A, Bracciaferri F, Cotronei V, Pedrocchi AL, Baroni G.  ELITE-S2: the Facility for Multifactorial Movement Analysis for the International Space Station New Perspectives For Motion Analysers Technologies. Conference and Exhibit on International Space Station Utilization, Cape Canaveral, FL; 2001 2001-4943.



Ferrigno G, Pedrocchi AL, Baroni G, Bracciaferri F, Neri G, Pedotti A.  ELITE S2 -- a New Instrument for Multifactorial Movement Analysis on the International Space Station. 54th International Astronautical Congress, Bremen, Germany; 2003 03-G.P.05.



Ferrigno G, Pedrocchi AL, Baroni G, Bracciaferri F, Neri G, Pedotti A.  ELITE-S2: the facility for multifactorial movement analysis for the International Space Station: new perspectives for motion analysis technologies. Acta Astronautica. 2004; 54(10): 737-747.



Baroni G, Pedrocchi AL, Ferrigno G, Massion J, Pedotti A.  Static and dynamic postural control in long-term microgravity: evidence of a dual adaptation . Journal of Applied Physiology. 2001; 90(1): 205-215.



Baroni G, Pedrocchi AL, Ferrigno G, Massion J, Pedotti A.  Motor coordination in weightless conditions revealed by long-term microgravity adaptation. Acta Astronautica. 2001; 49(3-10): 199-213.



Rigotti C, Cerveri P, Andreoni G, Pedotti A, Ferrigno G.  Modeling and driving a reduced human mannequin through motion captured data: a neural network approach. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Part A, Systems and Humans. 2001; 31(3): 187-193.



Pedrocchi AL, Baroni G, Ferrigno G, Massion J, Pedotti A.  EUROMIR 95 T4 experiment Human Posture in microgravity: global results and future perspectives. Journal of Gravitational Physiology. 2002; 9(1): 117-120.



Baroni G, Pedrocchi AL, Ferrigno G, Massion J, Pedotti A.  3-D motion capture and biomechanical modelling for neuroscience investigation in weightlessness. Kerala, India: Recent Research and Developments in Biomechanics; 2003.



Pedrocchi AL, Tagliabue M, Lanzani A, Baroni G, Ferrigno G, Pedotti A.  Motor strategies evaluation in long term microgravity exposure: simulation and comparison between CM control and net ankle moment control motor strategies. Gait and Posture. 2002; 14(2): 166.



Amblard B, Assaiante C, Vaugoyeau M, Baroni G, Ferrigno G, Pedotti A, Massion J.  Voluntary head stabilization in space during oscillatory trunk movements in the frontal plane performed before, during and after prolonged period of weightlessness. Experimental Brain Research. 2001; 137: 170-179.

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