Comparison of Tracking Task Performance and Nystagmus During Sinusoidal Oscillation in Yaw and Pitch
Abstract
The problem was to compare performance limits and nystagmus induced by angular accelerations about the pitch and the yaw axes. Sinusoidal torsional oscillation degraded subjects' performance of a compensatory tracking task because inappropriate nystagmic eye movements impaired visibility of the display. Responses to angular oscillation in yaw and pitch were compared. During angular motion in the pitch-forward direction the nystagmus frequency and slow phase velocity, and the consequent performance decrement, were significantly greater than during the pitch-back half cycle. No such asymmetry was found during oscillation in yaw where the nystagmus measures and error scores were similar to those obtained in the pitch-back half cycle. The poorer suppression of vestibular nystagmus during pitch-forward motion is attributed to the higher frequency and smaller amplitude of downbeating nystagmus. Angular oscillation in pitch induced motion sickness more rapidly than a comparable yaw- axis stimulus. This was probably caused by differences in the dynamic response of vertical and lateral canals and the greater mismatch of canal and gravireceptor signals during oscillation in pitch.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1970
- Accession Number
- AD0717596
Entities
People
- Alan J. Benson
- Fred E. Guedry Jr.
Organizations
- Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory