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Publication AbstractsCognitive Performance and Physiological Changes in Females at High G While Protected with COMBAT EDGE and ATAGSLimin Zhang, M.D., M.S.Aviat Space Environ Med 1999; 70:857-62 AbstractBackground: Female fighter pilots are flying the F-16 and F-15 with COMBAT EDGE, the positive pressure breathing under G (PBG) protection system. The standard CSU 13 B/P anti-G suit may soon be replaced with the Advanced Technology Anti-G suit. The purpose of this research was to compare human performance and physiological changes between the subjects protected by COMBAT EDGE with the standard anti-G suit (STD) and with the Advanced Technology Anti-G Suit (ATAGS). Methods: Six female centrifuge subjects completed this experiment. Performance of the 3-min simulated aerial combat sorties on the Dynamic Environment Simulator. Heart rate, %SaO2 (percent arterial oxygen saturation), %rSO2 (percent regional cerebral tissue oxygen saturation) and electromyography (EMG) were compared between the two suit conditions. Subjective evaluations of the two suit conditions were also collected. Results: No significant performance differences or EMG differences were found between the STD and ATAGS suits. In the ATAGS suit, %rSO2 and %SaO2 were significantly less and heart rate was significantly lower during the last minute of G exposure compared with the STD condition. Subjects rated the ATAGS suit as having provided better G tolerance, but more uncomfortable. The ATAGS were prototype suits, however, and were not custom fit to the women. Conclusions: Physiological changes did occur significantly during the last minute of G exposure, even though no significant performance differences were found between two suit conditions. Subjective comments supported the finding that the more G protection and body coverage afforded by the anti-G suit, the less comfortable the suit may be.Keywords: cognitive performance, anti-G suit, flight simulation, and high G. Information on subscribing, and on obtaining copies of an article or of an entire issue. Table of Contents for Volume 70, Number 9 of the ASME journal.
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