Keeping Balance with Vibrating Shoes 160
DrLudicrous writes "The NYTimes (free registration) is running an article that summerizes a forthcoming Physical Review Letters article. The article is about how low amplitude vibrations can help a person better sense when they are off balance. The authors write that they improved the balance of senior citizens by using small vibrations in the floor, making their sense of balance like that of a 25 year old. Apparently, this background noise helps to stimulate the neurons in the feet, making them more susceptible to detecting imbalances."
Re:Control of balance? (Score:5, Informative)
Sensations from the feet are required to make sure they stay *under* you, thus helping to keep your head straight as well.
=Smidge=
Comment removed (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Balance Vs. thresholds (Score:2, Informative)
Stochastic Resonance (Score:3, Informative)
Nothing new or magical in the theory, but it is a really cool application. Kudos to the researchers.
Re:Good vibrations (Score:3, Informative)
Light hitting the back of the eye causes (in the roughest possible terms) a change in electrical potential in the light sensitive cells, which is transmitted down neurons in the optic nerve (as electrical pulses) into the visual cortex of the brain, where it's interpreted in exceptionally clever ways we don't really understand. No vibrations to be seen, though.
Balance (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Control of balance? (Score:2, Informative)
Vertigo, for anyone who has never had it, is usualy an inner ear problem, which can leave you off balance and dizzy for days on end. The dizzyness can range from a slight light headedness to virtual blindness (like when you stand up too fast, and you get dizzy and your sight goes black for a few seconds.). On many ocasions it has caused me to black out completely.
Thankfully this only happens 3 or 4 times a year, though it has lasted for more than 3 weeks once. My usual year involves two minor occurences (I can still function, but I try not to drive myself just to be safe), and one short, but intence occurence, (usualy so bad I can't stand to get out of bed) that lasts a day or so.