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Senior Human Factors Research Engineer
Senior Human Factors Research Engineer
NASA Johnson Space Center
Hannah currently works as a senior research engineer in the Neuroscience Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center. She provides expertise in the areas of augmented reality, biomechanics, human factors engineering, and ergonomics to support human-system integration for current and future human spaceflight missions.
Hannah previously served as a Human Factors contractor and initially an intern for the Biomedical Research and Environmental Science Division at the Johnson Space Center. She supported both the Anthropometry and Biomechanics Facility (ABF) as well as the Human Physiology, Performance, Protection, and Operations Laboratory (H-3PO) to improve crew living and working conditions through injury and risk prevention in order to enhance astronaut productivity and operational efficiency.
University of Michigan
Hannah supported the NASA-funded project (Grant/Contract No. 80NSSC19K0703) titled HCAAM VNSCOR: Responsive Multimodal Human-Automation Communication for Augmenting Human Situation Awareness in Nominal and Off-Nominal Scenarios. The objective of our research group is to investigate the use of augmented reality (AR) multimodal interface displays and communication pathways for improving human-robot communication, situation awareness (SA), trust, and task performance. The specific aims include the development of a computer simulation testbed and a hardware testbed for examining communication between human-robot teams for on-orbit exterior inspection of spacecraft. To learn more, please visit the HCAAM website
Areas of Research and Expertise
Lunar EVA Operations Development and Training
Active Response Gravity Offload System (ARGOS) Planetary EVA Tasks Simulation
Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) Lunar Operations Development
Next-Generation Spacesuit
Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Units (xEMU) Fleet Sizing and Fit Assessment
Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Units (xEMU) Lower Torso Assembly (LTA) Fit Assessment
Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment (LCVG) virtual modeling
Human Solutions and 3DMD Whole Body photogrammetric scanning
Ergonomic Assessment and Injury Mitigation
EVA Injury Meta-Analysis
Exercise Task Volume Assessment
Sensor Garment & Low Back Injury Risk Assessment
Future Exercise Devices
European Enhanced Exploration Exercise Device (E4D)
Advanced Twin Lifting and Aerobic System (ATLAS)
Orion Flywheel Engineering Design Unit (EDU)
Miniature Exercise Device (MED-2)
Human-Systems Integration for Exterior Inspection of Spacecraft
Comparison of Display Modality and Human-in-the-Loop Presence for On-Orbit Inspection of Spacecraft
Methods for Evaluation of Human-in-the-Loop Inspection of a Space Station Mockup Using a Quadcopter
Augmented Reality and Wearables to Support Extravehicular Activity Readiness
Augmented Reality Operations Readiness Assessment (AURORA)
Lunar EVA Operations Development and Training
Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL)
The goal of this work is to assess the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory's simulation quality and capabilities for lunar Extravehicular Activity (EVA) training to prepare for NASA's Artemis missions back to the lunar surface. The facility provides a foundation for testing prototype spacewalk tools, exploration suit architectures, and developing astronaut training approaches for lunar surface operations. Through a combination of carefully placed weights and floatation devices, the astronuats can be weighted neutral buoyant or at 1/6th gravity to simulate the gravity environment of the moon. However, there are two important differences between neutral buoyancy as achieved in the NBL and weightlessness in microgravity. The first is that suited astronauts training in the NBL are not truly weightless. While they are neutrally buoyant, they still feel the earth's gravity on their bodies while in their suits. The second is that water drag hinders motion, making some tasks easier, and others more difficult, to perform in the NBL than in zero gravity. These differences must be recognized by spacewalk trainers. However, despite these differences, the NBL is currently one of the best method available by which astronauts train for spacewalks on earth. To learn more, please visit NASA SuitUP.
Expedition 55/56 Commander Andrew Feustel donning IMU sensors
NBL Lunar Operations Support
Astronuat Donald Pettit donning IMU sensors
My work at the NBL focused on supporting human motion analysis and injury risk mitigation/monitoring during the Lunar Operations Development testing. We collected inertial measurement unit (IMU) data pre/post and during diving operations to quantify differences in our astronaut's movement strategies outside and inside the pool. I also supported event logging analysis for the identification of tasks with high-risk activities (activities that are known to lead to training related injuries while in suited NBL training sessions). Examples of high-risk activities include: torso flexion/anterior torso tilt >15 degrees from neutral and overhead arm raises especially with loaded tools and equipment. Tasks which posed the highest frequency and duration of high-risk activities included maintenance operations, specifically those regarded as repair and replace activities. The training required to successfully complete the magnitude of space walks planned for future lunar missions presents a real risk of overuse musculoskeletal injuries to the EVA crew population. Therefore, a broad range of recommendations considering hardware design, operational techniques, and the training environment are continuing to be developed to prevent future injury to crewmembers training in the NBL.
Active Response Gravity Offload System (ARGOS)
Similar to the Neutral Buyoancy Laboratory, the Active Response Gravity Offload System (ARGOS) provides the ability to simulate partial-gravity operations for use in ground-based research, crew training, and engineering design evaluations. The goal of this particular research was to determine the simulation fidelity of the ARGOS testing environment for planetary EVA operations. The research was conducted using the MKIII prototype space suit and two gimbal designs. Being able to effectively simulate partial-gravity environments and characterize the performance of crewmembers has a significant impact on multiple domains including suit design, task design, thermal models, and life-support-system capacity verification plans, among others. To learn more, please visit NASA Technical Reports Server NTRS
Force plate stability analysis to determine base of support boundaries and ARGOS stabilization, featuring the EMU/MkIII adapted gimbal
Motion capture gait analysis in different gravity simulations (0 g & 1/6th g)
EVA functional tasks (geology sampling) featuring the Claw gimbal
My work with ARGOS focused on developing methods and metrics to characterize different gimbals and gimbal settings to support the research aims to assess the ARGOS environment's simulation quality. I supported data collection and analysis of human movement during functional-movement tasks with the use of motion caputure, inertial measurement units, and force plates. An initial set of functional-movement tasks were distilled from a task analysis of the proposed surface EVAs on the moon and Mars. The chosen tasks were intended to drive out issues associated with the ARGOS partial-gravity offload and determine if functionally a subject can acceptably perform the tasks. Functional tasks were also selected to determine if the gimbal and settings chosen for a specific subject were providing adequate simulation quality and that the ARGOS configuration was not assisting or preventing subjects from performing expected suited operations. The testing resulted in several recommendations to be made for the gimbal design resulting in the decision to build a new gimbal. Work is continuing on further developing the ARGOS environment to add fidelity with respect to operational volume and mockups, procedures, and task design to include more flight-like operations, and to incorporate tasks that are most currently representative of Artemis lunar mission EVAs.
Next-Generation Spacesuit
Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Units (xEMU)
NASA low-fidelity testing suit
xEMU hard upper torso (HUT) 3D print for fleet sizing
The development of new spacesuits is a critical component of achieving NASA’s goals of returning humans to the Moon, continuing safe operations on the International Space Station (ISS), and exploring Mars and other deep space locations. For extravehicular activities such as spacewalks or exploring the lunar surface, astronauts require spacesuits to protect them from the harsh space environment. A spacesuit is considered the world's smallest spaceship as it shields the astroanuts from temperature extremes and contains a portable life support system (PLSS) which features a self-contained oxygen supply and environmental control system. For the past 15 years, NASA has been developing next-generation spacesuit technology, specifically, the Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) which will be used on the ISS and Artemis missions involving both the Gateway and Human Landing System (HLS). To learn more, please visit NASA Next-Generation Spacesuits.
Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Units (xEMU) fleet sizing motion capture range of motion analysis
Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment (LCVG) and the Lower Torso Assembly (LTA) fleet sizing testing assembly
Hard Upper Torso (HUT) fleet sizing 3D printed assembly
This research sought to validate and provide input to the fleet sizing fit model for the next-generation spacesuit by characterizing suited and unsuited subject performance through functional movement task analyses. Functional tasks such as maximal reach envelope, two-handed reach envelope, bolt board, elbow breadth, and head range of motion were implemented for the hard upper torso (HUT) and scye bearing joint configurations of the xEMU. Ambulatory tasks and hip range of motion positions such as climbing steps were evaluated for the lower torso or brief assembly of thr xEMU. The goals of this research involved testing a wide range of anthropometries to ensure the suited architecutre can accomodate 5th percentile female up to 99th percentile male anthropometries while enabling human function and reduced injury to support successful mission operations. Motion capture analysis and human body photogrammetric scanning were implemented.
Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment (LCVG)
Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment (LCVG)
The LCVG is a form-fitting, stretchable undergarment that covers the entire body to the neck, wrists, and ankles. The LCVG cools and ventilates the crewmember via flexible ethylene vinyl acetate tubing woven throughout the spandex restraint cloth. This garment is donned first and worn under the spacesuit and helps regulate the crew member's body temperature during extravehicular activity (EVA). In a suited configuration, an astronaut will don several layers within the suit that can potentially alter suit fit: a maximum absorbency garment (MAG), thermal comfort undergarment (TCU) and a microclimate conditioning system, the LCVG. The suboptimal fit of a spacesuit can interfere with a crewmember’s performance and is regarded as a potential risk factor for injury. To quantify suit fit, a virtual fit assessment model was previously developed to identify suit-to-body contact and interference using 3D human body scans and suit CAD models. However, ancillary suit components and garments worn inside of the suit have not been incorporated.
Publication related to LCVG research:
Weiss, H., Hernandez, Y., Kim, K.H. and Rajulu, S.L. (2022), "3D virtual fit assessment and modeling: liquid cooling and ventilation garment", International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, Vol. 34 No. 3, pp. 301-314. https://doi-org.proxy.lib.umich.edu/10.1108/IJCST-09-2020-0143
Predicted LCVG (translucent layers) overlaid with the scan wear manikins (dark inner layer). (a) Front view. (b) Rear view. Color-coded prediction errors for LCVG in meters (m). (c) Front view. (d) Rear view
The color-coded overlap patterns with the spacesuit HUT assembly. Left panels: minimally clothed condition. Right panels: the LCVG condition. Prediction for one subject case.
This study was conducted to develop a 3D geometric model of the LCVG parametrically adapted to the individual wearer’s body shape. A framework of scan data processing, modeling and generalization was developed and evaluated. A case study was also performed to demonstrate that the proposed framework can be effectively incorporated for spacesuit fit modeling and design improvements. The developed tool provides the ability to virtually apply the LCVG layer not only to existing 3D body scans retrofittedly, but also proactively to newly collected body scans and a large database of body shapes available in minimally- clothed forms. Such capabilities would greatly expand the assessments of the fit of the garment on various anthropometries. The results from this study can significantly improve the design process modeling and initial suit sizing efforts to optimize crew performance during EVA training and missions.
Human-Systems Integration for Exterior Inspection of Spacecraft
Virtual Simulation Testbed
Left: Virtual space station and inspector. Right: Egocentric inspector robot view with the picture mode activated for anomaly detection via a red bounding box.
Augmented reality environment: Space station and inspector satellite hologram projections.
Due to recent advancements in robotic technology, free-flying teleoperated robot inspectors are a viable alternative to extravehicular activity inspection operations. Teleoperation depends on the user’s situation awareness; consequently, a key to successful operations is practical bi-directional communication between human and robot agents. To investigate the impact of interface display modalities and human-in-the-loop presence on the awareness, workload, performance, and user strategies of humans interacting with teleoperated robotic systems while conducting inspection tasks onboard spacecraft. Participants (n = 19) performed telerobotic inspection of a virtual spacecraft during two degrees of temporal communication, a Synchronous Inspection task and an Asynchronous Inspection task. Participants executed the two tasks while using three distinct visual displays (2D, 3D, AR) and accompanying control systems.
Publication related to virtual simulation research:
Weiss, H., Liu, A., Byon, A., Blossom, J., & Stirling, L. (2021). Comparison of Display Modality and Human-in-the-Loop Presence for On-Orbit Inspection of Spacecraft. Human Factors. https://doi.org/10.1177/00187208211042782
Robotic Hardware Testbed
Suited astronauts currently perform visual inspections for external spacecraft damage during extravehicular ac- tivity (EVA). Small, free-flying satellites can be used to perform these visual inspection tasks to reduce crew risk by keeping astronauts inside the vehicle. One approach gives the astronaut teleoperational control of the satellite, while another approach engages a control system that commands the satellite to fly along an inspection path. We assembled a mockup of a space station (featuring three modules of varying geometry) and used a quadcopter fitted with a GoPro Camera to emulate visual inspection of the mockup by the small satellite. A pilot partic- ipant performed the space station inspection task by utilizing the teleoperation mode of the quadcopter. The participant had access to a line-of-sight view of the quadcopter and space station mockup from a distance, and an egocentric view of the testing area (including the mockup) from the quadcopter’s onboard camera. The inspection task required the participant to actively scan for, locate, and take pictures of surface anomalies on the space station mockup. Performance was evaluated by determining the percentage of anomalies detected, time taken to complete the inspection, and gaze time percentages (physical quadcopter and space station versus camera display).
Publication related to robotic hardware research:
Weiss, H., Patel, A., Romano, M., Apodaca, B., Kuevor, P., Atkins, E., & Stirling, L. “Methods for Evaluation of Human-in-the-Loop Inspection of a Space Station Mockup Using a Quadcopter,” in IEEE Aerospace Conf., Big Sky, MT, March 5- 12, 2022.
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