Aerospace Medicine and Human Engineering

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Aerospace Medicine and Human Engineering

• Know the history of aerospace medicine and human
  engineering.
• 1. Describe the early balloon flights.
• 2. Describe the role of a flight surgeon in
  taking care of a flyers medical needs.
• 3. List examples of machines being adapted to
  mans needs for flight productivity.
• 4. Describe the evolving of research within the
  
• fringes of space regarding space
  exploration.

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Overview

• 1. Beginnings of Aerospace Medicine
• 2. Care of Flyers
• 3. Man and Machine
• 4. Research on the Fringe of Space

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Aerospace Medicine and Human Engineering
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Beginnings of Aerospace Medicine

• Established in 1918 with the founding of the Army
  Aviation Medical Research Laboratory at
  Hazelhurst Field.
• Research was conducted to support flyers in WW I.

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Beginnings of Aerospace Medicine

• The study of flight physiology started with the
  balloon ascension of Joseph and Etienne
  Montgolfier.

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Beginnings of Aerospace Medicine

• French physicist Jacques Charles

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Beginnings of Aerospace Medicine

• John Jeffries and Jean-Pierre Blanchard

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Beginnings of Aerospace Medicine

• Coxwell and Glaisher

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Beginnings of Aerospace Medicine

• The Father of Aviation Medicine-Paul Bert
• Conducted experiments with barometric pressure.
• Proved the principle effects of altitude on the
  body.
• Made the first low-pressure altitude chamber.

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Beginnings of Aerospace Medicine

• Sivel, Croce-Spinelli and Tissandier
• Conducted experiments by refraining from oxygen.
• Before they were aware that they were suffering
  from oxygen starvation they became paralyzed.
• Tissandier was the only survivor.

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Beginnings of Aerospace Medicine

• Schools of Aviation Medicine
• The Signal Corp established an Aeronautical
  Division in 1907.
• In 1917, General Theodore Charles Lyster was the
  first chief surgeon, Aviation Section, Signal
  Corps, United States Army.
• In 1953, General Harry G. Armstrong participated
  in the establishment of the Aeromedical
  Laboratory in Dayton, Ohio.

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Aerospace Medicine and Human Engineering

• Know the history of aerospace medicine and human
  engineering.
• 1. Describe the early balloon flights.
• 2. Describe the role of a flight surgeon in
  taking care of a flyers medical needs.
• 3. List examples of machines being adapted to
  mans needs for flight productivity.
• 4. Describe the evolving of research within the
  
• fringes of space regarding space
  exploration.

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Care of Flyers

• The Armed Forces have doctors with special
  training in the care of flyers.
• Flight surgeons perform periodic examinations on
  fliers to evaluate their physical and mental
  fitness.
• The flight surgeon is not only concerned about
  the pilot but also the conditions the pilot finds
  in the cockpit.

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Man and Machine

• The matching of man and machine is constantly
  under study by human engineering.
• Every control and instrument in the aircraft must
  be developed with regard to the pilots needs.
• The military has had standardization of the
  instrument panel since high-performance aircraft
  came into use.

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Man and Machine

• Servomechanisms are an important area of interest
  to human engineering.
• Another area of importance in human engineering
  is in designing protective equipment for flight.

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Research on the Fringe of Space

• Balloons - Valuable for collecting physiological
  data.
• In 1931, Auguste Piccard perfected the
  oxygen-pressure gondola for balloons.
• In 1935, Captains Anderson and Stevens ascended
  to 72,395 feet.
• In 1957 Major Simons ascended to 102,000 feet.

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Research on the Fringe of Space

• The Excelsior balloon flights began in 1959
• Captain Kittinger rode in an open gondola
  protected only by his oxygen supply and pressure
  suit.
• On the first flight he jumped from the gondola at
  76,400 feet.
• The second and third flights were completed
  successfully. On the third he ascended and
  jumped from a height of 102,800 feet.

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Research on the Fringe of Space

• Research Aircraft X-1
• The first U.S. rocket aircraft.
• Chuck Yeager became the first man to fly faster
  the speed of sound.

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Research on the Fringe of Space

• Research Aircraft X-2
• The X-2 was subjected to intense friction
  heating.
• The pilot was protected with cooling equipment in
  his pressure suit.

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Research on the Fringe of Space

• Research Aircraft X-15
• The X-15 reached a speed of 4,534 mph and an
  altitude of 354,200 feet.
• Several pilots received astronaut ratings.

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Research on the Fringe of Space

• Research Aircraft X-24B
• Wingless with a flat undersurface.
• X-24B research program was conducted with NASA.

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Research on the Fringe of Space

• Animal Astronauts
• Scientists and engineers
• began experimenting with
• rockets following
• World War II.
• Medical researchers then
• sent animals into the upper
• atmosphere.

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Research on the Fringe of Space

• Animal Astronauts
• Mice and other small animals were used for the
  early experiments.
• As rockets became more powerful, larger payloads
  could be sent into space.

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Research on the Fringe of Space

• Before American astronauts were rocketed into
  space, two chimpanzees were used to test the
  mercury spacecraft and the flight plan.

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Summary

• 1. Beginnings of Aviation Medicine
• 2. Care of Flyers
• 3. Man and Machine
• 4. Research on the Fringe of Space