NASA project 1: Full-body dynamometer

In space, where the body does only a fraction of work it does on earth, muscle atrophy is a major concern. The bones and the muscles will begin to deteriorate after a short stay in weightlessness. Bone decalcification appears to be a major problem with extensive living in microgravity. Resistance exercise is not only essential to prevent muscle atrophy in space, it also helps to keep bone decalcification in check. For a space station, where the astronauts are expected to live for months at a time, exercise is especially important. Experts recommend about an hour and a half to two hours of exercise per day to keep the muscles in good condition in microgravity. The exercises will not only keep the astronauts in excellent physical condition, it will also make it easier for them to readjust to earth's gravity on return. The stationary bicycle and the treadmill have been the astronauts' primary sources of exercise since the 1970's. The major problem with both the stationary bicycle and the treadmill is that while they may keep the leg muscles from deteriorating in microgravity, they do little for muscles in the upper body. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is currently developing a full-body dynamometer (FBD), which will provide the astronauts with a full-body workout. It will also test the astronauts for muscle atrophy and rehabilitate the weakened muscle. The specification and the function structure for the FBD is presented.