Seminars

As human space exploration missions shift focus towards surface environments, extending in duration and distance from Earth, new aerospace technologies are required to enable Earth-independent operations. In this talk, I will introduce research efforts that address mission-defining sensorimotor and behavioral risks. These efforts enable the development of technologies from computational models of the human-vehicle system, validated by human participant experiments. Key application areas include countering spatial disorientation, space motion sickness, and impaired functional mobility. Similarly, this approach is used to enhance decision-making, safeguarding behavioral health and performance in operational human-autonomy and human-human teams.
I will speak in more detail about novel solutions that leverage knowledge of human information processing to improve sensorimotor outcomes. This work has enabled a computational methodology for inducing desired perceptions of motion and orientation, as well as reducing motion sickness symptoms. More broadly, this approach provides a pathway for autonomy to adapt appropriately to human cognitive states, supporting teaming in extreme environments. These efforts align with critical risks identified by NASA’s Human Research Program related to sensorimotor function, behavioral health, and team performance, and demonstrate how human-state–aware technologies can enhance safety and enable future exploration missions.