Dolphins were not typically associated with space exploration until 2013, when Mars Curiosity Rover mission scientists dreamed up the idea to simulate the feel of aquatic creatures in deep-space environments. This experiment kicks off on March 20 in a pool in Daytona Beach, Florida, where NASA’s five-year $4 million project, called Living and Work aboard a spacecraft, will test the impact of zero-gravity environments on various disciplines.
The first phase of the research includes six months of living in a single large pool, where three dolphins will be trained to help astronauts work in tight living spaces. The dolphins are specially trained for this study to interact with one another and potentially the human spaceship crew. The dolphins interact with each other and the surrounding environment in ways that resemble similar spacecraft confinement stresses on astronauts, like communicating less due to having little room to maneuver. These environmental stresses can increase dependence on telemedicine, which is an integral aspect of the year-long simulated space travel study led by Dr. Edward W. Long.
While astronauts cannot always be present in space to help distressed fellow astronauts, dolphins can and they can interact with their caregivers on the ground. Similar to medical procedures in deep space, the associated costs for telemedicine can be reduced by simply developing communication between the astronauts and their commanding staff through technologies already available, like virtual reality and telepresence, according to Dr. Long. He suggests that the study could develop this technique further, which could be applied to people with disabilities who live far from experts.
This experiment is the second in a series of advances in dolphin science research with NASA. In 2013, the first joint mission brought nine dolphins, possibly the smartest mammals in the world, to Houston to simulate astronaut tasks for zero-gravity purpose. Dr. Long observes that dolphin and human psychology have many similarities despite physiological differences, and he believes that the human-dolphin bond can provide insight in human psychology that could help improve astronaut technology and facilities.
During the first study, the dolphins, along with the trainer, lived in a artificial floating pool developed by NASA to test zero-gravity salt bath. Researchers observed that research subjects demonstrated both scientific benefit alongside their capabilities for comfort. Researchers are now planning a more advanced experiment which will look into cyber research and big data. Dr. Long hopes that the study will improve telemedicine equipment to the level where dolphins will be able to help both sick astronauts and sick humans.
Long’s team is working alongside a research team composed of biologists and computer scientists who will measure performance levels from events within the pool such as interactions, use of equipment, and general fitness. The biologists will collect data on animal physiology and diseases, while the computer scientists will analyze the communications between the dolphins and the astronauts.
The second stage of the study, which begins in November, will focus on transmitting telemedicine, television, and virtual reality from Earth to the floating pod. The technology for zero-gravity salt-water pools has already been developed and tested by NASA, which may be used for space stations in the future. The research team behind this study hopes that these proposed features in the second stage of research will allow astronauts and people with disabilities to overcome some of the greatest obstacles to living in confined spaces in deep space or on Earth.
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