Politecnico di Torino | Servizi per la didattica

KEYWORD

Area Engineering

Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation in Virtual Reality Flight Simulations for Handling Quality Assessment

azienda Thesis in external company estero Thesis abroad

Reference persons GIORGIO GUGLIERI, STEFANO PRIMATESTA

External reference persons Prof. Umberto SAETTI
Department of Aerospace Engineering
University of Maryland
3182 Glenn L. Martin Hall
College Park, MD 20740
saetti@umd.edu
https://umbertosaetti.com

Research Groups 08- Dinamica, controllo e simulazione del volo

Thesis type SIMULATIVE AND EXPERIMENTAL

Description One promising and recently-proposed technology to provide vestibular illusions is Galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) [1–3]. Galvanic vestibular stim- ulation (GVS) is a neuromodulatory technique that involves the application of low-amplitude electrical currents to the vestibular system via surface electrodes positioned over the mastoid processes, leading to to perceived linear and rotational accelerations. As such, GVS could be used to provide linear and angular accelerations in flight simulations in a cost-effective way, with the potential to supplement of replace motion platforms. The objective of this study is to build a GVS device to be incorporated with the existing flight simulation capabilities at the Extended Reality Flight Simulation and Control Lab at University of Maryland (UMD) – see below. A second objective is to investigate whether pilot control response can be in- fluenced primarily by the vestibular channel, rather than by the visual channel, in VR/AR flight simulations. More specifically, the investigation will make use of the Bjorkman pitch dynamics in a pitch attitude capture-and-hod tracking task to compare the PIO frequencies and decay rate with those observed during actual flight [4], building upon the work in [5]. This project may have funding available for international visiting students to supplement for funding from their home institution.