Abstract:

Proposed ultra-high-speed ground transportation systems, such as Maglev, may have motion characteristics affecting passenger comfort different from anything previously experienced in ground transportation. These motions not only include isolated vertical maneuvers but also repeated motions. For these repeated motions the power spectra is as important as the magnitude in predicting kinetosis. Segments of the New York State Thruway were simulated by flying an airliner through a series of several dozen roll maneuvers based on nine combinations of speed and curvature. The combinations were also simulated using a moving base simulator which provided a geometrically accurate ``out of the window view.'' Analysis of the data lead to the following conclusions: (1) More than 95% of the public would accept isolated maneuvers involving bank angles up to 37(degrees) and roll rates up to 7(degrees)/s. (2) The majority found the plane simulation comfortable and felt no motion sickness. Differences between subjects' appear to have been greater than the physical effects of the differences in bank angle. (3) Cumulative dosage and duration of exposure showed significant correlation with the motion-sickness ratings procedure developed based on the work of M. J. Griffin and British Standard 6841:1987.