Moon walker demo lets wannabe astronauts feel 0.17G (video)
When we saw a guy strapped to a crane, bounced between colored spots on the floor, we had to have a go find out more. Within CEATEC, there are halls filled with companies you've not yet heard of. TE Connectivity is probably one of them, regardless of the fact that it's a huge producer of data connectors, power protectors and other things that mass producers like. Now, exactly why it's got this moon gravity simulator at the front of its stand is harder to explain, but it has a lot to do with promoting TE's other products. The simulator includes a high-speed USB connector right above the harness, floor sensors that detect your landing, some other NASA-authorized parts and dynamic sensors within the balance motor that ensure that any hobbyist astronauts in training (like ourselves) don't spin out of control while bounding around at 0.6G.
A computer behind the scenes continuously calculates and adjusts exactly how much lift it gives your body once you're strapped in. Then the aim to this demo is to hop between specific colored spots on the ground, which was a little harder than it sounds. We strap ourselves in after the break.
