Desenvolvimento da cadeira de barany eletricamente controlada como simulador de desorientação espacial

Abstract

This dissertation describes the conception, the project and the construction of a Bárány's chair which is electrically controlled. This type of chair is used as to simulate spatial disorientation secondary to the stimulation of the vestibular system. The electrically controlled Bárány's chair can be used for academic and research purposes. In the academic area, it can help pilots to understand spatial disorientation and is used in training centers for pilots. The Bárány's chair is also used as a tool for scientific studies that evaluate the physiology of the vestibular system in the aerospace environment. This dissertation includes a review of the anatomy and the physiology of the vestibular system, which is essential to understand biological aspects encountered during spatial disorientation. The most frequent types of spatial disorientation that occur during flight are described and examples of airplane accidents are discussed. Space motion sickness, a common type of spatial disorientation that affects astronauts in the first 3 days of a space mission, is also explained. Every step of the development of the Bárány's chair electrically controlled are described. The construction of the prototype is carefully explained, including its components, specifications and the assembly way. Pictures illustrates the chair and its constituents. Engineering tests to study its performance are presented in order to describe its mechanical and electric operation. An evaluation of its use as space disorientation device was performed among 40 private pilots.