Physiological Effects of Underpressure and Overpressure in a Study of Mechanical Counter Pressure Suits

The first concept and early experiments of a Mechanical Counter Pressure (MCP) spacesuit were published by Webb in the late 1960's. MCP provides an alternative approach to the conventional full pressure suit that bears some significant advantages, such as increased mobility, dexterity, and tactility. The presented ongoing research provides a thorough investigation of the physiological effect of mechanical counter pressure applied onto the human skin. In this study, we investigated local microcirculatory effects produced with negative and positive ambient pressure on a bare arm, and with a MCP glove and sleeve. The data indicates that the MCP glove and sleeve effectively counteracted the adverse effects of negative environmental pressure.