Cognitive performance and physiological changes in females at high G while protected with COMBAT EDGE and ATAGS.
BACKGROUND
Female fighter pilots are flying the F-16 and F-15 with COMBAT EDGE, the positive pressure breathing under G (PBG) protection system. The standard CSU 13 B/P anti-G suit may soon be replaced with the Advanced Technology Anti-G suit. The purpose of this research was to compare human performance and physiological changes between the subjects protected by COMBAT EDGE with the standard anti-G suit (STD) and with the Advanced Technology Anti-G Suit (ATAGS).


METHODS
Six female centrifuge subjects completed this experiment. Performance of the 3-min simulated aerial combat sorties on the Dynamic Environment Simulator. Heart rate, %SaO2 (percent arterial oxygen saturation), %rSO2 (percent regional cerebral tissue oxygen saturation) and electromyography (EMG) were compared between the two suit conditions. Subjective evaluations of the two suit conditions were also collected.


RESULTS
No significant performance differences or EMG differences were found between the STD and ATAGS suits. In the ATAGS suit, %rSO2 and %SaO2 were significantly less and heart rate was significantly lower during the last minute of G exposure compared with the STD condition. Subjects rated the ATAGS suit as having provided better G tolerance, but more uncomfortable. The ATAGS were prototype suits, however, and were not custom fit to the women.


CONCLUSIONS
Physiological changes did occur significantly during the last minute of G exposure, even though no significant performance differences were found between two suit conditions. Subjective comments supported the finding that the more G protection and body coverage afforded by the anti-G suit, the less comfortable the suit may be.
Zhang
L
L
Department of Biomedical and Human Factors Engineering, Wright State University, Dayton, OH 45435-0001, USA. lzhang@cs.wright.edu
D000328:Adult; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D002498:Centrifugation; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D005676:Gravity Suits / Q000592:standards*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D018471:Hypergravity / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States