A COMPARISON OF THREE FULL-PRESSURE SUITS IN TERMS OF CONTROL ACTIVATION TIME

Abstract

Three pressure suits, both pressurized and unpressurized, were compared on the basis of times taken by two subjects to initiate action and to reach to and operate controls located in various positions in a simulated workspace. The suits compared were the Apollo Phase B, the Gemini G2C-1, and the Apollo 1960 State-of-the-Art. The controls used were knobs, toggle switches, and pushbuttons. The work area investigated was semicircular, extending left and right 78 degrees, 34 to 49 inches above the floor, at a distance of approximately 2 feet. Average times for each combination of suit, suit condition (pressurized or unpressurized), control type, control location, and hand used are presented. No suit appeared to be unequivocally superior. Total time to initiate action and to reach to and operate toggle switches and pushbuttons was typically, although not universally, shorter when wearing the Apollo 1960 State-of-the-Art suit. Total time to initiate action and to reach to and operate knobs was typically, although not universally, shorter when wearing the Gemini G2C-1 suit; however, not all locations could be reached when wearing this suit.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1964
Accession Number
AD0613597

Entities

People

  • Earl D. Sharp

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Behavioral Sciences
  • Biomedical Research
  • Contracts
  • Control Panels
  • Control Surfaces
  • Control Systems
  • Government Procurement
  • Governments
  • Human Factors Engineering
  • Mobility
  • Pressure Suits
  • Reaction Time
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Toggle Switches

Readers

  • Educational Psychology
  • Materials Science
  • Robotics and Automation.