What do ISS Astronauts have strapped to their legs?

[Lynda3]

In recent videos I have watched I have noticed that some of the ISS Astronauts have what looks to be a large book or box strapped to their leg. What is this that is strapped to their leg? And what is its function?

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[orin stepanek]

Don't know if this is what you are looking for!

SPACE SUIT - Granted to The United States National Aeronautics ... http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3751727.html Cached
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Aug 14, 1973 – Finally, strapped to the astronaut's legs are a scissors pocket 86, a checklist pocket 88, and a data list pocket 90. FIG. 3 is an exploded view ...

[geckzilla]

Hmm, link doesn't work. :\

[bystander]

Try it now

[geckzilla]

Hey, that's a space suit patent sheet. Says the thing on the space suit's leg is a utility pocket. I think guys on the ISS have something different going on. They look like notebooks to me.

[Lynda3]

I agree with geckzilla. After watching the press conference you see Don flip through and look at something at one point. But is it more than a notebook (IE a manual of some sort?) What is its purpose?

[geckzilla]

I would guess that it's just notes on what they want to speak about at the press conference. There's no podium on the ISS to hide the papers on!

[orin stepanek]

It looks like their food tray!

[neufer]

<<An ankle monitor (also known as a tether) is a device that individuals under house arrest are often required to wear. At timed intervals, the ankle monitor sends a radio frequency signal containing location and other information to a receiver. If an offender moves outside of an allowed range, the police will be notified. Ankle monitors are designed to be tamper-resistant and can alert authorities to removal attempts, such as cutting the conductive band causing a circuit break. Electronic monitoring was originally developed by a small group of researchers at Harvard University in the 1960s. In 1983, Judge Jack Love in Albuquerque, New Mexico, inspired by a Spider-Man comic strip, initiated the first judicially sanctioned program using monitoring devices. The effectiveness of monitoring in reducing crime is uncertain. There is probably a reduction of criminal behavior while the offender is actually being monitored, however a thorough and comprehensive review of research literature has indicated that, over a period of three years, monitoring did not reduce crime more than other prison diversion programs.>>

[Moonlady]

It is PS3.