The Hand Posture Analyzer investigation measures motion and force on hands, wrists, and forearms before and after space flight.
The Hand Posture Analyzer (HPA) examines how hand and arm muscles are used differently during grasping and reaching tasks in weightlessness by collecting kinematic and force data on astronaut’s upper limbs (hands, wrists and forearms).
Three different sets of data were collected: preflight, in-flight and postflight. The measurements involved the crew member manipulating both virtual and concrete objects, which were studied to assess the approaching, reaching, and grasping mechanics of the hand and fingers without the effect of gravity.
