The following subjects will be discussed:
High G+ effects on brain and vision.
The interaction between reduced brain blood perfusion and the providing retina with oxygen.
Results of systolic blood pressure at the level of the head, while decreasing below the intra ocular pressure 18 mm Hg.
The Gray Out and Black Out condition, as physiological warning about approaching the state of Loss of Consciousness (LOC).
Highly maneuverable planes and sign alternating (+/-G) condition.
Push-Pull effect, as the instance of even low +G, when instantly following the minus -G acceleration and opposite.
No time allowed to notice the retinal reduced oxygenation (no responding to photo stimulation), by the still operational brain at lower blood perfusion.
Ceasing the chance for noticing the physiological LOC Warning.
The dynamics of losing the consciousness and the process of recovery from it.
Delayed assigning of the meaning, acquiring the situation context.
Instead of updating the model of flight condition, based on indications of flight instruments, the pilots are prone to substituting it with the wrong data from before LOC.
Loss of sense of passing time, when out of consciousness.
Lack of awareness on being in LOC state.
Vestibule-oculomotor responses (VOR) useful when operating on the ground. They provide the stability of image projection on the retina, which is necessary for high spatial frequence vision. The VOR moves the eyes, with the same velocity as the head is moving, but in the opposite direction. In this way it prevents the slippage of the projected image and its smearing, which may incapacitate the high resolution vision. Analogy to taking the picture on celluloid, we need to hold camera still, while releasing the shutter. In the flight condition the situation drastically changes. The VOR works in contradiction the high resolution vision, incapacitating it to the extent, that pilots may experience difficulty with correct reading the flight / navigational instruments.
Explanation of physiology behind it.
The habituation of VOR acquired during the flight training and hundreds of hours practicing the flying of high maneuverable planes.
The effects of ototoxic chemicals and medications, reducing / minimizing the effects of acquired VOR habituation.
The necessity for preflight testing, on the presence of reduced VOR habituation.
It may act as the trap incapacitating the resolving of spatial (3D) disorientation, even by the highly trained pilots (instructors).
The WHITE-BOX Project.
Co-sponsored by: Poznan University of Technology
Speaker(s): Jan Ober
Room: room 230, Bldg: CENTER FOR MECHATRONICS, BIOMECHANICS, AND NANOENGINEERING, POZNAŃ UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, ul. Jana Pawła II 24, 60-965 Poznań, Poland, Poznań, Wielkopolskie, Poland, 60-965
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