Tolerable acclimation to the cross-coupled illusion through a 10-day, incremental, personalized protocol

Area of Science:

• Space Medicine
• Human Physiology
• Artificial Gravity Research

Background:

• Artificial gravity (AG) offers a potential solution to microgravity's detrimental health effects.
• Short-radius centrifuges are more practical but limited by the cross-coupled Coriolis illusion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a personalized, incremental protocol for human acclimation to the Coriolis illusion.
• To enable faster spin rates in short-radius centrifuges for AG implementation.

Main Methods:

• Ten subjects underwent 10 daily 25-minute sessions.
• Subjects performed head tilts during upright centrifugation on an Earth-vertical axis.
• Centrifugation rate increased incrementally based on subjective illusion perception.

Main Results:

• The average spin rate tolerated without illusion increased from 1.8 to 17.7 RPM.
• This reduces the required centrifuge diameter from 552.2 to 5.7 meters for 1G at the feet.
• Subjects reported only mild motion sickness.

Conclusions:

• Acclimation to the Coriolis illusion is achievable through incremental protocols.
• This breakthrough is crucial for the practical implementation of short-radius centrifuges for AG.
• Feasible artificial gravity using short-radius centrifuges is now a realistic possibility.