Enhancing Astronaut Cognitive Performance: The Impact of TENS Feedback in Spacesuits

Spacesuits are essential for ensuring the safety and functionality of astronauts during space missions. However, they can introduce challenges such as sensory deprivation, reduced dexterity, and lower cognitive performance, which can increase the risk of error. In our previous research, we have shown that adding sound transparency to a suit improves cognitive scores with a puzzle task. Building upon these findings, we evaluate the use of sensory substitution with Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) in place of traditional haptics. This study represents the first application of TENS in spacesuits to enhance cognitive performance by mitigating sensory deprivation. We placed pressure sensors outside two fingertips on the glove of the spacesuit, and on the inside, we placed a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation patch on the skin. The evaluation focused on assessing the changes in cognitive performance. The outcome of the study does not support that sensory substitution with TENS is associated with faster Koh Block test completion times. The NASA Load Task Index test was also administered, such results are also coherent with the Koh Block test outcome.