SPATIAL ABILITY AS A PREDICTOR OF SPACE ROBOTICS TRAINING PERFORMANCE

Introduction: Current astronaut robotics training procedures are both long and intensive. Trainees vary significantly in their initial performance, natural ability, rate of learning, and level of mastery. Initial performance is not a reliable predictor of final level of mastery and, in a few cases a protracted training period is needed to achieve mastery. We hypothesize that metrics of human spatial ability can predict performance on certain tasks, such as maintaining spatial situation awareness and arm clearance, that are learned and practiced during robotics system training. Methods: We tested the spatial ability of 40 current astronauts with robotics training experience against four tests: 2D Card Rotation (Card), Vandenberg Mental Rotation (MRT), the Purdue Spatial Visualization - Views (PSVT) and Perspective Taking Ability (PTA). These were correlated with scores on the NASA Aptitude for Robotics Test (ART) 'Gate'task, a measure of initial robotics performance, and the General Spatial Awareness (SA) score of the astronauts' final evaluation test of their first robotics training course, either Generic Robotics Training (GRT) or Shuttle PDRS Training. Only the data from the 13 astronauts who took ART prior to their robotics training was analyzed. Results: There are significant correlations among the standardized Card, MRT, and PSVT scores and the General SA score for GRT, as well as among MRT, PSVT, and PTA and the log(standardized 'Gate'score). As expected, no significant correlation was found between the initial ability and final level of mastery. No significant effect of gender was found. Discussion: The Card Rotation, Mental Rotation, and Purdue Spatial Tests are potential predictors of General Situation Awareness performance during robotics training. Further analysis of performance in individual lessons of a training course will determine if learning rates can also be predicted. Supported by NASA Cooperative Agreement NCC9-1 with NSBRI.