Message-ID: <4ab1nwa00VcJ8JBU5Z@andrew.cmu.edu>
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Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU
From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU
To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 1990 02:47:25 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: SPACE Digest V12 #55

SPACE Digest                                      Volume 12 : Issue 55

Today's Topics:
			   Project Outreach

Administrivia:

    Submissions to the SPACE Digest/sci.space should be mailed to
  space+@andrew.cmu.edu.  Other mail, esp. [un]subscription notices,
  should be sent to space-request+@andrew.cmu.edu, or, if urgent, to
			 tm2b+@andrew.cmu.edu

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 12 Jul 90 06:35:52 GMT
From: usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!dali.cs.montana.edu!milton!unicorn!n8445388@ucsd.edu  (Treon Verdery)
Subject: Project Outreach


Project Outreach asks that we send only non-proprietory
information, what a shame!  I've had several ideas I think
might be high in quality, but at first I was hesitant to
renounce ownership.  

There is one good thing about it, it means that we can post
what we send to Project Outreach here...

Please consider posting what you will be sending them, as soon as
I get my ideas fully word processed I will post them here.

here's three for now:

#1

The Psychlit database has an abstract under "Zero Gravity" that 
suggests people are extremely poor at judging inertial mass in
the absence of gravity and weight.

I suggest some sort of thin wristband inertia-ometer that could
translate the inertial mass of an object into a recognizable
signal, say pressure on the top and bottom of the wrist.

Perhaps with such a device the inexperienced could be trained
or adapted more quickly, and the overall accuracy and 
efficiency of their attempts to place/position objects would
improve.  Also, fewer accidents might happen as a result.

This seems particularly useful in a rotating space station
which has variations in apparent "gravity" to cope with.

#2

Hyposomniacs might make the most useful space personnel:

Most normal people require 6-8 hours of sleep each day 
for optimal performance.  However, there are also equally
normal people out there who require only 4-6 hours.

25 five-hour hyposomniacs working 400 days would have a
10,000 hour increase in total awake-time over normal 7 hour 
sleepers.

#3

I assume that the central status gauge/control panel area
will be some sort of grouping of LCD/video monitors.

I wonder if it's possible to substitute a single
monitor with a refresh rate of 280 hz and a rotating mirror
(or optic switch) and 3 empty translucent screens for 
four 70 Hz monitors with their associated weight, space
and power requirements.  If redundancy equipment is on board
the weight savings is even greater.

There are clearly things wrong with this idea, foremost
that LCDs will probably never refresh that fast.  Also,  
refocused video strikes me as inevitably blurry.


hmmm...

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End of SPACE Digest V12 #55
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