ISRO plans to develop astronaut training module with IIT Madras

February 7, 2023

ISRO plans to develop astronaut training module with IIT Madras: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO): A training programme for the Indian Spaceflight Programme will be created by ISRO and IIT Madras using augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality (AR, VR, MR). ISRO aims to utilise the advanced technologies created at the newly-established eXperiential Technology Innovation Centre (XTIC) at IIT Madras to promote Research and Development (R&D) in the domain of Extended Reality.

February 2023 Current Affairs Quiz

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed recently between ISRO and IIT Madras for collaboration on the application of Extended Reality (XR) and other technologies in the Indian Human Spaceflight Program.

About the project:

Building virtual models and simulations of human physiology and space systems is a critical component of the project because they will help researchers better understand how the human body reacts to and adjusts to extended spaceflight, such as a journey to the moon. Other aspects of the project include visualizing and optimizing the design and architecture of space-faring equipment, such as the interiors of a mission’s crew module.
The project will also tap into XTIC’s network of industry and startup associations, in order to attract interest in building applications and solutions using XR technologies.
XR, to be sure, includes an amalgamation of AR, VR and MR solutions to simulate a physical object. Using XR technologies can help manufacturers and researchers visualize how an object would work in the physical reality, before it is built and applied. Such solutions have been used in various fields, such as healthcare, aviation and other fields, where reaching a real-world usage space (such as oil fields, in mid-air flights, or in between critical surgeries) is difficult.
To create such platforms, companies typically develop a highly accurate digital replica of a product or an environment, typically called a ‘digital twin’, and use it to assess and validate products.