FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute

Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-71/22

Title and Subtitle: Effect of a moving optical environment on the subjective median

Report Date: April 1971

Authors: Brecher MH, Brecher GA

Abstract: The placement of a point in the median vertical plane under the influence of a moving optical environment was tested in 12 subjects. It was found that the median plane was displaced in the same direction as the movement of the visual environment when the environment was moved at speeds ranging from 9 plus or minus 1 radians/minute to 45 plus or minus 1 radians/minute. It was established that unidirectional movements of the total optical environment always caused a spatial disorientation with respect to external visual reference points.

Key Words: Median Plane Subjective, Median Plane Objective, Median Point Setting, Egocentric Localization, Orientation in Space, Disorientation in Space, Visual Illusions, Straight Ahead Subjective, Straight Ahead Objective, Vision, Psychophysiology

No. of Pages: 2