Using Virtual Reality and Motion Capture as tools for Human Factors Engineering at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Human Factors Engineering (HFE) Team is implementing virtual reality (VR) and motion capture (MoCap) into HFE analyses of various projects through its Virtual Environments Lab (VEL). VR allows for multiple analyses early in the design process and more opportunities to give design feedback. This tool can be used by engineers in most disciplines to compare design alternatives and is particularly valuable to HFE to give early input during these evaluations. These techniques are being implemented for concept development of Deep Space Habitats (DSH), and work is being done to implement VR for design aspects of the Space Launch System (SLS). VR utilization in the VEL will push the design to be better formulated before mockups are constructed, saving budget and time. The MSFC VEL will continue forward leaning implementation with VR technologies in these and other projects for better models earlier in the design process.