Wacom’s Intuos3 A4, from the leading manufacturer of pen tablets, interactive pen displays and intuitive interface solutions, is the first pen tablet in space. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station are using it in a series of experiments investigating how they perceive distances and dimensions during their time in space.
On Earth, everyone can feel the effects of gravity on their body and immediate surroundings. The human brain automatically accounts for gravitational conditions in many central-nervous-system processes, including orientation, perception and coordination.
Under microgravity — the near-weightlessness of orbit — many of these normal reference points are absent. Objects float through space, and the directional concepts of up and down no longer apply. Astronauts’ brains must therefore process highly unusual signals. This raises the question of whether some disturbances observed in astronauts result from changes in neural processes caused in turn by an altered gravitational field. How does the brain adapt to this unfamiliar situation?
Working with several French research laboratories, French space agency CNES developed SENS, a virtual-reality-based neurosensory stimulation platform. The system can be used for neurological experiments examining astronauts before, during and after stays aboard the ISS.
The related neuroscience research project “3D Space” aims to observe changes in astronauts’ mental representations of their surroundings. Two Wacom Intuos3 A4 tablets form part of the project.
“3D Space was developed to test experimentally the hypothesis that altered visual perception affects motor coordination,” explained Eric Lorigny, Payload Developer at CNES. “The astronaut is asked to reproduce figures or text with the digital pen. The pen tablet makes it possible to record, analyse and compare the results both in space and on Earth.”
Guido Möller, Product Manager for Professional Products at Wacom, worked closely with CNES. “This is an important milestone in Wacom’s history, and we are very proud that the European Space Agency selected Intuos3 for its research.”
Intuos3 is a pen-tablet system for professional users. Intuos3 tablets are used in numerous fields, from design and image editing to medical applications. Each tablet offers a resolution of 5,080 dpi, and its patented cordless, battery-free pen recognises more than 1,024 pressure levels. CNES has now also approved Intuos3 pen tablets for use aboard the International Space Station.
Further Links:
- Further information about the ISS 3D Space project
Further information about the ISS 3D Space project
Further information about Wacom
