Instrumentation For The Coriolis Acceleration Platform

The report describes a general-purpose instrumentation system developed for use in conjunction with the Coriolis Acceleration Platform, a combined linear and angular motion device recently installed at the vestibular research facilities of this activity. The system, based on the use of standard commercially available equipment, provides the basic transducers, signal-conditioning circuitry, and recording instruments required for the acquisition, display, and storage of a wide variety of commonly collected biological and bioenvironmental measurement data. (Author).

The report presents a brief description of the Coriolis Acceleration Platform, a new combined linear and angular motion-producing vestibular research device developed to study the biological effects of aerospace acceleration environments. The primary element of the device is a 20-ft diameter capsule equipped with various life-support equipments to study the long-term effects of continuous rotation. A low rpm, direct-coupled, DC torque motor operated in a closed-loop, velocity mode, power servomechanism configuration rotates the device in either direction at angular velocities extending to 200 deg/sec at accelerations ranging to 15 deg/sq sec. A second drive system can be programmed to produce time-varying rectilinear translations of a single subject along a track structure fixed to the capsule where this form of motion can occur singly, or in combination with rotation of the entire device. Peak ratings of the linear drive system include a radial displacement of plus or minus 20 ft, a linear velocity of plus or minus 16 ft/sec, and a linear acceleration of 96 ft/sq sec (3 g). (Author).

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The Periodic Angular Rotator is a novel servorotator designed for studies of the dynamic response of the oculovestibular system. It will rotate a single subject about an Earth-vertical axis in a wide variety of stimulus waveforms. Step function, ramp, and sinusoidal angular motions are generated precisely by a closed-loop power servomechanism drive system. The use of a low speed DC torque motor coupled directly to the payload resulted in a system with low acoustic noise and mechanical vibration properties, fast dynamic response characteristics, and a high degree of coupling stiffness. When operated in a velocity mode of control, the device is rated to produce a maximum angular velocity of 100 rpm either clockwise or counterclockwise at angular accelerations up to 100 deg/sq sec and sinusoidal oscillation frequencies beyond 2.0 cps. When operated in the alternative displacement mode, similar ratings apply over a plus or minus 150 degree excursion. (Author).