The effect of head turn velocity on Cross-coupled Stimulation during centrifugation

Artificial Gravity (AG) has been suggested as a potential countermeasure to the deleterious physiologic effects of long-duration space flight. Short-radius centrifugation (SRC) provides a practical means of producing AG, though perceptual side-effects may potentially limit its operational feasibility. Head-turns in the rotating environment of SRC produce Cross-coupled Stimulation (CCS), which the subject perceives as a tumbling sensation. Acutely, the CCS tumbling sensation is nauseagenic, though adaptation has been shown to diminish this detriment over time. The force environment of CCS suggests that the head-turn velocity plays a role in determining the stimulus magnitude, though the degree to which has not been characterized. In order for SRC to be an operationally viable alternative for AG, it must be shown that the motion sickness symptoms can be controlled without sacrificing adaptation. Modulation of head turn velocity has been suggested as a means to that end. A total of 23 subjects were subjected to right quadrant head-turns of 8 different velocities while spinning at 19 and 23 RPMs in the rotating environment of SRC.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2007

Author dc:creator

• Sheehan, Scott E. (Scott Eugene)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Laurence R. Young.

• Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/38652

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/38652