Have you ever dreamed of controlling gravity? You do this when you manage to capture an item. Gravity affects objects all the time. But, bringing the cup to your mouth, you play against gravity.
Gravity refers to natural forces, but since childhood we have become accustomed to interact: we select objects, we learn to walk. How our brain studies this process lies at the heart of the Grip experiment, shown in the picture with astronaut Alexander Gerst on the ISS in the current mission.
In zero gravity, astronauts resemble helpless babies, learners to adapt to new conditions. In microgravity, objects have no weight. Moreover, the inner ear no longer signals which path is directed upwards. Reason has to be rebuilt, because of which coordination is disturbed. Researchers are studying how long the brain has to adapt to the new dynamics.
How is the experiment going? Alexander performs a series of movements, capturing a specially designed sensor that measures traction, humidity, acceleration and other factors in order to assess how the body adapts to situations where there is no “up” and “down”. During the mission, Alexander will perform three sessions. The Grip experiment made 20 parabolic flights. The results show that the short-term effect of microgravity causes subtle changes in the coordination of the force used to trap an object. Brains anticipate the effects of gravity, even if it doesn’t. On the ISS, one can observe long-term consequences. The experiment was first conducted in 2016 with the participation of astronaut Tom Peske.
Experiments will allow a better understanding of human physiology and the diagnosis of diseases on Earth. They are also useful for engineers designing prostheses and will be used to develop robotic human interfaces. This will open the ability to control robots on other distant planets.
