[Reaction of the human vestibular apparatus to periodic effects of the ship-rocking type].

Reactions of the semicircular canals to periodic effects of the ship rolling type have been studied, using a mathematical model. The data obtained give evidence that during the above effects linear combinations of reactions of all semicircular canals may describe changes in the angular velocity of man's movement in an absolute (static) space. Besides, the common segment of the vertical semicircular canals (the common limb) allows a more accurate description of time changes in angular velocity. The mathematical model has demonstrated the dependence of absolute angular velocity as approximated by the semicircular canals from head orientation as related to the body. In addition to general discussions about rolling effects on the semicircular canals, the paper presents calculations of such reactions as applied to a specific object, i. e. a medium-size trawler.