Dynamic visual acuity as a biometric for astronaut performance and safety

Ethan Waisberg; Joshua Ong; Phani Paladugu; Sharif Amit Kamran; Nasif Zaman; Andrew G Lee; Alireza Tavakkoli

doi:10.1016/j.lssr.2023.01.002

Dynamic visual acuity as a biometric for astronaut performance and safety

Life Sci Space Res (Amst). 2023 May:37:3-6. doi: 10.1016/j.lssr.2023.01.002. Epub 2023 Jan 13.

Authors

Ethan Waisberg¹, Joshua Ong², Phani Paladugu³, Sharif Amit Kamran⁴, Nasif Zaman⁴, Andrew G Lee⁵, Alireza Tavakkoli⁴

Affiliations

¹ University College Dublin School of Medicine, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: ethan.waisberg@ucdconnect.ie.
² Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States.
³ Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
⁴ Human-Machine Perception Laboratory, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, Nevada, United States.
⁵ Department of Ophthalmology, Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, United States; Center for Space Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States; The Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, United States; Departments of Ophthalmology, Neurology, and Neurosurgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, United States; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States; University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States; Texas A&M College of Medicine, Texas, United States; Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, United States.

PMID: 37087177
DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2023.01.002

Abstract

Astronauts are exposed to an austere and constantly changing environment during space travel. To respond to these rapid environmental changes, high levels of dynamic visual acuity (DVA) are required. DVA is the ability to visualize objects that are in motion, or with head movement and has previously been shown to decrease significantly following spaceflight. Decreased DVA can potentially impact astronauts while performing mission critical tasks and drive space motion sickness. In this paper, we suggest that DVA assessment during spaceflight and during G-transitions should be considered to help further understand the vestibulo-ocular impacts of interplanetary spaceflight and ensure mission performance including potential manned missions to Mars.

Keywords: DVA; Dynamic visual acuity; G-transitions; Long-duration spaceflight.

MeSH terms

Astronauts*
Biometry
Humans
Space Flight*
Visual Acuity