2021, Volume 27, Issue 3
ANATOMY-BASED MODELLING OF THE HUMAN VESTIBULAR RECEPTORS FOR THE PURPOSE OF MOTION CUEING IN DYNAMIC FLIGHT SIMULATORS
RAFAŁ LEWKOWICZ1, GRZEGORZ KOWALECZKO2
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1Department of Simulator Studies and Aeromedical Training, Military Institute of Aviation Medicine
2Faculty of Aviation, Polish Air Force University
Autor korenspondencyjny: RAFAŁ LEWKOWICZ; Department of Simulator Studies and Aeromedical Training, Military Institute of Aviation Medicine; email: rlewkowicz@wiml.waw.pl
Streszczenie
Introduction: The motion simulation fidelity depends on the vestibular model used in motion cueing algorithm. Therefore, identifying and selecting the most appropriate mathematical model of the vestibular system is important for motion cueing tasks in motion simulators. This paper presents a method for modelling human vestibular receptors and self-motion sensation.
Methods: Previous work in the field of mathematical modeling of vestibular system were summarized and full procedure of modeling the human self-motion sensation was presented. In addition, we tested whether an increased complexity of the model, particularly with regard to the anatomy (position and orientation) of vestibular receptors (semicircular canals and otolith organs), could significantly influence the estimation of human self-motion sensation. To investigate this, the pilot’s motion sensation was evaluated during a 20-second real flight in an F-16 aircraft (data from this flight came from an Enhanced Crash Survivable Memory Unit, and is detailed in our previous paper). Simulations were conducted with and without model complexities, specifically regarding the position and orientation of the vestibular receptors, as compared to previous models.
Results: It was found that the estimated sensation of angular velocity varies, especially in relation to the pitch angular velocity when the roll velocity is present. The sensed gravito-inertial acceleration also varies, particularly with longitudinal acceleration when the vertical acceleration reaches high values.
Discussion and Conclusions: The complexity of the model, particularly with regards to the orientation of the vestibular receptors, significantly affects the estimated motion sensation. Nevertheless, further research and verification are required to confirm these findings and evaluate their practical implications in simulators that are equipped with a motion platform.
Słowa kluczowe
mathematical modelling, self-motion sensation, vestibular system, vestibular model