Work/Control Stations in Space Station Weightlessness 901203
Relating to yet beyond the requirements of putting controls and displays at selected and selectable locations in the station, and to associated subsystem interfaces, is the ergonomic integration of these elements with the operator, and ALL with the diverse, proximal station architecture.
Basic to optimal, long-term solutions to this integration is the requirement of the felicitous accommodation of a range of crew sizes from a 5% tile Asian female to a 95% tile Caucasian male. No less important is for the workstation's layout and architecture being optimized for the “new-shape-of-man” - the “neutral body position” - in weightlessness and with the associated geometry and dynamics of this significantly altered state, its capabilities and its new facility.
This paper previews the on-going status, development and details of a body-ported workstation prototype and its semi stand-alone elements. These include multiple-image, virtual-optics, screen displays controlled by an ergonomically designed (for weightlessness) keyboard, cursor control and CCTV camera, a hand-controller featuring “no-grip”, vernier/tactile positioning which frees all fingers for multiple-switch, fine actuations while retaining index/register with the hand-controller.
Not the least of these elements is a versatile, all-orientation, single-point (architectural) attachment/restraint requiring no residual muscle-tension in the body for short or long-term positioning.
