The following are excerpts from an Associated Press article which
appeared in newspapers on November 11, 1998. The research referred
to is apparently funded by a grant from NASA. More information
about the project can be found at:
"Gravity's still the law around these parts, but standing in chest
waders with the nozzle of an industrial vacuum cleaner stuffed down his
back, Tyson Harty felt light on his feet.
The Oregon State University graduate student was demonstrating the
latest in anti-gravity wear: Mars pants.
The space slacks, developed by OSU researchers, will help astronauts
learn to walk in the low gravity they'll face on Mars.
...The pants reduce the ground reaction force, or the pressure of the
person on the ground, by about 20 pounds by supporting part of the
body weight on a high-pressure cushion of air.
...while the pants don't bring on an actual weight loss, a person would
register 20 pounds less if he or she stood on a scale."
Any comments?
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Dr. Shawn Kolitch Phone: 541-346-4771
Department of Physics Fax: 541-346-5861
1274 University of Oregon skolitch@darkwing.uoregon.edu
Eugene, OR 97402
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