The software tool also provides data that recommends appropriate postures for certain tasks and safe durations for potentially harmful positions like when astronauts lay on their backs for several hours awaiting launch. BioMetric Systems, Houston, Texas, has been granted an exclusive license to further develop PVAT for use by non-aerospace industries such as hospitals, physical rehabilitation facilities, insurance companies, sports medicine clinics, oil companies, manufacturers and the military. The international human factors engineering company will upgrade PVAT software systems for Apple Macintosh and IBM-compatible computers with the assistance of JSC's Technology Transfer and Commercialization Office. Traditional video analysis methods required predefined views from spacecraft cameras and specific reference points to classify working posture. PVAT uses an interactive Macintosh menu and button-driven software to collect information about a variety of postural parameters such as body orientation, body part movement, severe or mild flexation rating and task description.
Analysis begins with a touch of a button once all entries are made.
PVAT also includes a terminology library, animation illustrating selected posture classifications, data reduction summaries and report capabilities. PVAT prepares astronauts for correctness of movement on Shuttle fights. It also identifies problems crews may have operating specific equipment to allow for hardware or procedure modifications that reduce fatigue and stress. We are excited about PVAT's human factors design and analysis potential in a variety of commercial industries and plan to begin use immediately. For more information, contact Candace Caminati at Biometric Systems.