Research-grade instrumentation for studying upper-body-dominant vertical locomotion in hypogravity.
In lunar and Martian gravity, astronauts may rely more heavily on their upper body to climb, stabilise, and move through vertical structures. This rig studies the forces involved in that upper-body-dominant locomotion so researchers can better understand the mechanical demands.
My contribution spans mechanical design support, sensor selection, data acquisition thinking, and documentation for a PhD-led University of Adelaide research project.
The handrail geometry and mounting approach need to preserve realistic grip conditions while making the rig robust enough for repeatable trials.
The sensing layer focuses on multi-axis force at the grip, with hardware selection shaped by range, mounting constraints, calibration, and reliability.
Data capture needs to be time-synchronised and clean enough for downstream analysis, not just visible during a test run.
Build records and calibration protocol are treated as part of the research instrument, because repeatability is central to the value of the rig.
The project is in design and prototyping. The next milestones are calibration trials and system integration so the rig can produce reliable research-grade measurements.