Neutral buoyancy and the static perception of upright.

Autor: Jenkin H; Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Canada. hjenkin@yorku.ca., Jenkin M; Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Canada.; Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, York University, Toronto, Canada., Harris LR; Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Canada.; Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Canada., Herpers R; Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Canada.; Institute of Visual Computing, Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, St Augustin, Germany.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: NPJ microgravity [NPJ Microgravity] 2023 Jun 28; Vol. 9 (1), pp. 52. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Jun 28.
DOI: 10.1038/s41526-023-00296-x
Abstrakt: The perceptual upright results from the multisensory integration of the directions indicated by vision and gravity as well as a prior assumption that upright is towards the head. The direction of gravity is signalled by multiple cues, the predominant of which are the otoliths of the vestibular system and somatosensory information from contact with the support surface. Here, we used neutral buoyancy to remove somatosensory information while retaining vestibular cues, thus "splitting the gravity vector" leaving only the vestibular component. In this way, neutral buoyancy can be used as a microgravity analogue. We assessed spatial orientation using the oriented character recognition test (OChaRT, which yields the perceptual upright, PU) under both neutrally buoyant and terrestrial conditions. The effect of visual cues to upright (the visual effect) was reduced under neutral buoyancy compared to on land but the influence of gravity was unaffected. We found no significant change in the relative weighting of vision, gravity, or body cues, in contrast to results found both in long-duration microgravity and during head-down bed rest. These results indicate a relatively minor role for somatosensation in determining the perceptual upright in the presence of vestibular cues. Short-duration neutral buoyancy is a weak analogue for microgravity exposure in terms of its perceptual consequences compared to long-duration head-down bed rest.
(© 2023. The Author(s).)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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