For their own safety, space suits usually muffle sounds, but if we can hear footsteps, this can give useful signals about the environment and reduce the risk of tripping during future Mars colonization.Discuss
Hearing footsteps can help us navigate our environment more than we think, and it could be especially important for humans exploring Mars.
The sound of a boot landing provides useful clues about the terrain, whether it's sand, crust or rock, says José Berengueres of the University of the United Arab Emirates. But spacesuits prevent astronauts from feeling the ground under their feet and tend to muffle sound.
Astronauts sent to explore Mars may be more confident when walking if their boots are equipped with microphones to help them hear their own footsteps, study authors say, suggesting sound is vital important for our ability to take precise steps.
Source: arXiv.org