A method of gravity simulation for preventing low gravity or weightlessness syndrome

Abstract

The application discloses a gravity simulation method for preventing low-gravity or weightlessness syndrome, belongs to the field of space medicine and manned space technology, and aims to solve the technical problems of low-gravity or weightlessness environment, loss of axial compression load of human body, limited effect of existing protection means, and obvious side effects. The application applies opposite forces between two or more axial load-bearing parts of the human body, constructs an axial compression mechanical load close to the physiological state of the earth gravity in the human body, and alleviates and improves the weightlessness syndrome from the mechanical root.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the fields of aerospace medicine and manned spaceflight technology, specifically a physical intervention method for improving the decline of human physiological functions in a low-gravity, weightless environment. Background Technology

[0002] Under normal Earth gravity conditions, gravity creates continuous axial pressure from head to toe inside the human body. The human skeleton, muscles, and cardiovascular system rely on continuously resisting this pressure to maintain a stable physiological structure and functional state.

[0003] When people are in a low-gravity or weightless environment for a long time, the axial pressure in the body decreases significantly or disappears almost completely. This can lead to a variety of physiological problems, such as osteoporosis, muscle atrophy, abnormal cardiovascular regulation, head migration of body fluids, increased intracranial pressure, and visual impairment. These are collectively known as weightlessness syndrome, which is a core medical obstacle that limits long-term human stay in space and deep space exploration missions.

[0004] Existing commonly used protective measures have significant shortcomings: 1. Conventional physical training can only increase the load on the body locally for a short time, and cannot make up for the lack of overall axial pressure throughout the day. Its protective effect is limited and it takes up a lot of astronauts' working time. 2. Drug intervention can only relieve some symptoms individually and cannot address the physiological changes in multiple systems throughout the body. Long-term use may lead to drug resistance and unknown health risks. 3. Rotary artificial gravity schemes rely on centrifugal force to simulate the feeling of falling. The force form is different from the axial load actually needed by the human body, and it will generate Coriolis force, which can easily cause severe dizziness and vestibular discomfort. At the same time, the equipment is large in size, consumes a lot of energy, and is difficult to install, making it difficult to achieve single-person all-weather use. 4. Traditional compression garments mostly use radial elastic restraint structures, which only create a compression effect on the body surface. Uneven pressure distribution can easily lead to poor local blood circulation. They can slightly reduce facial edema, but cannot fundamentally prevent body fluid from accumulating in the head. They cannot improve core issues such as abnormal intracranial pressure. The form of force does not match the longitudinal axial pressure required by physiology, resulting in great restriction of movement and one-sided protective effect.

[0005] Existing technologies have not yet effectively addressed the core cause of the lack of axial compressive load in the body under weightless conditions, and have proposed adaptive technical solutions to improve the situation from a mechanical perspective. Most of them can only alleviate some surface symptoms and inhibit the development of weightlessness syndrome. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a gravity simulation intervention method that is simple in structure, has good adaptability, has mild side effects, and can be used in all weather conditions.

[0007] Based on the main causes of physiological changes in weightlessness, this invention applies opposing forces between different axial positions in the human body to create an axial compressive load in the body that is similar to the physiological effect of pressure brought by Earth's gravity. This conforms to the mechanical transmission path of longitudinal force on the body under normal gravity, compensates for the lack of axial pressure, reduces abnormal distribution of body fluids, and slows down degenerative changes in bones, muscles and cardiovascular system, thereby preventing and alleviating weightlessness syndrome.

[0008] Terminology Explanation Axial load-bearing areas: Body segments that bear the axial force of gravity along the head-to-toe longitudinal direction, including the head, shoulders, chest, waist, hips, upper arms, forearms, hands, thighs, calves, and feet. Axial compressive mechanical load with similar physiological effects: Simulating the longitudinal compression state of the body under normal gravity, maintaining a pressure environment within the body that can maintain basic physiological balance. The load value can be adjusted appropriately based on user experience and does not need to be equivalent to the pressure from ground gravity. Opposing forces: Opposing forces formed between different points on the upper and lower body, transmitted through external wearable components. When acting on two parts of the body, they can generate axial compressive loads within the body. These can be any one or more combinations of tensile force, opposing pressure, axial thrust, and bidirectional support force, distinct from short-term, motion-based passive muscle loads. Self-closed-loop opposing forces: Mutually opposing forces formed only between different axial wearable points on the body, with no additional force transmitted to the external fixed carrier structure. Beneficial effects

[0009] 1. Improve physiological imbalance by creating an axially compressed environment that approximates the pressure brought by gravity, thereby reducing abnormal upward flow of body fluids and maintaining the axial load-bearing capacity of bones, muscle tension, and basic cardiovascular physiological state. 2. Side effects are mild, mainly the adjustable pressure sensation when wearing the garment. The wearing comfort can be improved by adjusting the force applied. There are no issues such as vestibular discomfort or drug side effects. 3. No external large equipment or fixed support is required. It relies on the human body to form a self-closed-loop mechanical balance, occupies a compact space, does not easily restrict limb movement, and is suitable for daily work and rest scenarios. 4. The force is adjustable, suitable for long-term continuous wear, and adaptable to various common postures such as sitting, lying down, and standing. 5. It has a wide range of applications, meeting the needs of long-term manned spaceflight and deep space travel. It can also be used to protect against similar physiological problems for people who are bedridden or have limited mobility on the ground. There is ample room for its application and promotion. Detailed Implementation

[0010] Overall principle Under weightlessness, the body's original blood supply and pressure regulation mechanisms, which are used to counteract the pressure load brought by the gravity of the torso and lower limbs below the head, change. The downward restraining effect of gravity weakens, and body fluids no longer concentrate in the lower half of the body, which can easily cause body fluids to accumulate in the head, leading to a series of discomforts and physiological damage.

[0011] This invention reconstructs the axial compressive load within the body by artificially applying longitudinal opposing forces, maintaining physiological stress conditions under pressure conditions close to ground gravity, stabilizing various basic bodily functions, and inhibiting the development of weightlessness syndrome.

[0012] Example 1: Basic Manual Adjustment Version Create a full-body segmented wearable device, including foot, knee, hip, waist, chest, shoulder, head and upper limb fixation parts, as well as multiple sets of independently adjustable tension generating units.

[0013] In a standing position, a tension unit is connected between the foot and shoulder fixation components. The total tension is set with reference to the user's own body weight and can be flexibly adjusted according to physiological protection needs and wearing comfort, simulating the axial pressure state of the whole body when standing on the ground. The tension of the head, upper limbs, and lower limbs is provided by independent tension units in the corresponding parts to match the physiological load requirements of the corresponding parts.

[0014] When switching postures, the tension connection path can be adjusted via buckles to adapt to different load distributions such as sitting and lying down; the tension in each part can be finely adjusted via independent knobs to balance protective effect and wearing comfort.

[0015] The tension generating units can be connected in parallel or cross-connection to ensure uniform tension distribution; the fasteners are made of lightweight, breathable, and biocompatible materials to reduce discomfort caused by prolonged wear.

[0016] Example 2: Adaptive Intelligent Adjustment Version A micro-control system is added based on Example 1: each fixing component integrates a pressure sensor and an attitude sensor, and the shoulder fixing component integrates a control unit and a power module.

[0017] During the ground pre-training phase, data on the user's multi-posture force and physiological feedback are collected to establish a personalized gravity load model. In a weightless environment, the control system detects the human body's posture and force in real time, dynamically adjusts the tension in various parts, and achieves smooth following adjustment.

[0018] During use, the control system can optimize model parameters by combining the user's real-time physiological data to achieve adaptive adjustment. The tension setting follows the principle of "prioritizing physiological effectiveness and secondary to wearing comfort," and the specific value can be adjusted by the user according to their own feelings and task requirements.

[0019] Those skilled in the art should understand that the above embodiments are merely illustrative and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Equivalent solutions obtained by conventional adjustments to the structure, materials, and force application methods without departing from the core technical concept of the invention all fall within the protection scope of the invention. Industrial applicability

[0020] The method disclosed in this invention is easy to implement. The supporting restraint and force adjustment components can be manufactured using conventional industrial materials and components such as elastic webbing, engineering plastics, micro motors, and sensors. The processing and assembly costs are controllable and it is suitable for mass production.

[0021] This invention can be applied on a large scale in the fields of manned spaceflight, special operation protection, and medical care, and has good industrial applicability.

Claims

1. A gravity simulation method for preventing hypogravity or weightlessness syndrome, characterized in that: In low-gravity or weightless environments, opposing forces are applied between two or more axially load-bearing parts of the human body, generating axial compressive mechanical loads within the body that are similar to the physiological effects of Earth's gravity, thereby preventing and alleviating the occurrence and development of weightlessness syndrome.

2. The gravity simulation method for preventing hypogravity or weightlessness syndrome according to claim 1, characterized in that: The force is applied in segments, with appropriate opposing forces applied to corresponding parts of the body according to the physiological needs of one or more parts of the body.

3. The gravity simulation method for preventing hypogravity or weightlessness syndrome according to claim 2, characterized in that: The axial load-bearing parts are selected from one or more of the following: head, shoulder, chest, waist, hip, upper arm, forearm, hand, thigh, calf, and foot.

4. The gravity simulation method for preventing hypogravity or weightlessness syndrome according to claim 1, characterized in that: The opposing forces are self-closed loop opposing forces between the upper and lower axial load-bearing parts of the human body, and the forces are formed only through wearable components fixed to the corresponding axial load-bearing parts.

5. The gravity simulation method for preventing hypogravity or weightlessness syndrome according to claim 1, characterized in that: The opposing forces are any one or more combinations of tensile force, opposing pressure, axial thrust, and bidirectional support force.