What makes for a perfect golf swing? One of the most important factors is balance. A tilting platform connected to a computer — a system that owes its origins to technology that helps astronauts assess their balance after a stint in microgravity — gives immediate feedback to help a golfer learn what perfect balance feels like. Trainers also use the device to help dancers and other athletes perfect their balance.
Astronauts’ minds and bodies take some time to readjust to life on Earth. While the human body adapts relatively quickly to a lack of gravity (it takes only a few days), readapting to the pull of Earth’s gravity can take up to several weeks. One researcher, interested in understanding how different sensory and motor systems contribute to balance, created a technology that proved useful for assessing the balance of astronauts after coming home from space.
Learn more about how NASA helped develop technology that impacts balance analysis within your city's sports environment!