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AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Adminstration
InventorWilliam E. Thornton
Estimating the term…
Method and apparatus for accurately simulating locomotion in a weightless environment, specifically to prevent atrophy of a subject's musculoskeletal and cardiorespiratory systems during space travel, are disclosed. Forces, including the vertical, horizontal and lateral force generated by an individual during locomotion on a treadmill, utilizing a rigid belt with rigid transfer elements supported by low friction bogies are measured by strain gauges sensitive in their respective direction. The vertical forces produced by securing the subject to the treadmill via bungee cords in conjunction with the measured velocity of the treadmill, and the mode of locomotion are used to determine the subject's equivalent weight. The other horizontal and lateral forces are used to determine the external work produced by the subject when locomotion is performed on a nonlevel surface with an effective grade angle. The measured forces are related in such a way that the grade angle is easily determined. A motor and additional circuitry can be added to the apparatus to measure and force a subject to maintain a predetermined work rate associated with a preselected grade angle and tread velocity.
Method of quantifying the subject work rate in a weightless environment in terms of an equivalent grade factor, the internal work rate, and external work rate, applied to a treadmill over a period of time by a user thereof, which comprises the steps of
Apparatus for quantifying the subject work rate applied to an exercise device by a user and adapted for use in a weightless environment, comprising
Method of quantifying external work rate in a weightless environment applied to a treadmill by a user thereof, which comprises the steps of
Apparatus for quantifying the external work rate applied to an exercise device by a user and adapted for use in a weightless environment hereof, comprising
Method of quantifying the internal work rate in a weightless environment applied to a treadmill by a user thereof, which comprises
Apparatus for quantifying the internal work rate applied to an exercise device by a user and adapted for use in a weightless environment thereof while in a mode of locomotion, comprising
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.