Response to stimuli

Preparation and Planning

This lesson supports an introduction to 'stimuli' and the human response. The various elements can be dovetailed with existing practical exercises that you may find effective, and content serves as a compelling introduction to the topic prior to more detailed study of the eye. Differentiated activities are provided for all Episodes and students should benefit too by the variety of learning styles the lesson supports.

The associated Ministry of Defence (MOD) topic supports contextual understanding, both of the need for scientists to take into account human response to physical environments when developing new technologies (e.g. new aircraft) and also of the need for specific professions to demand specific attributes e.g. perfect sight. Even though new technologies support unmanned aircraft, these must still be flown remotely by man, albeit with the aid of technology and therefore partially restricted.

Supporting Student Worksheets are supplied for this lesson and will need to be photocopied in advance. You may like to arrange access to an ICT suite for students to prepare their presentation in Episode 4. However this is not vital to the success of the activity.

There is more than enough content here for an hour-long lesson. Timings given are approximate. You may wish to split content across more than one lesson, or to set some of the activities as homework.

About the MOD Topic

The MOD has to balance the need for safety of personnel with the optimisation of technologies and equipment available. Ongoing research seeks to understand the margin for human error in operating equipment and how to minimise this risk.

QinetiQ is a commercial organisation employed by the MOD to research, (amongst other things), the performance of aircrew and how this can be bettered through specific training and equipment. QinetiQ used to be a wholly MOD-owned research organisation, formerly known as DERA (Defence Evaluation and Research Agency). QinetiQ has expertise in the most demanding of physical environments and is able to enhance the value, safety and impact of MOD personnel via dedicated research teams. Working with a civilian contractor permits external investment and sharing of knowledge (e.g. the Disorientation Laboratory has also been employed by Virgin Atlantic to research customer experience and seat design).

Holding some of the most advanced Human Performance Facilities world-wide, QinetiQ is able to simulate a wide variety of physical conditions including thermal, hypobaric and hyperbaric for aircrew and aircraft, as well as assessing physical fitness and capacity.

Of specific relevance to the lesson topic, the QinetiQ's Centrifuge Facility enables assessment of the effects of high G acceleration on human performance. Centrifuge G exposure is controlled automatically but can also be driven manually whereby the centrifuge controlling engineer can control the speed of the centrifuge (and hence G) directly using a joystick similar to a conventional aircraft flight stick.

The Vibration and Disorientation Laboratory assesses crew vibration exposure under a range of conditions (land, sea and air) and is used in part to help desensitise aircrew as part of their in-flight training.

MOD Applications of the Centrifuge Facility Disorientation Laboratory includes: a) Desensitisation of aircrew as part of their training, b) Appraisal of the risks of combined sustained high +Gz acceleration and rapid cockpit decompression at high altitude (Eurofighter Typhoon), c) Test and evaluation of Eurofighter Typhoon aircrew equipment and life-support systems, d) Evaluation of proposed RAF Type S oxygen mask (designed for issue to female aircrew).

For further information visit: http://www.qinetiq.com/home.html

Further Opportunities for Learning

Higher ability students may be able to move on quickly to more advanced understanding of this topic - looking in detail at the eye or another sense organ. If looking at the eye, students should consider how it adapts to varying physical environments (i.e. to varying brightness of light). Students may consider how this relates to pilots (commercial as well as military) and also why the quality of a pilot's eyesight is of paramount importance.

Students might wish to consider why the senses of some species of animal are more advanced than in others. Cats for example, hunt at night and benefit by particularly effective detection of sound, touch and smell, compensating for the lack of light.

Explore the impact of drugs (prescribed and non-prescribed) or alcohol on the effectiveness of chemical transmission between synapses. These can stimulate or inhibit the nervous system to various effect and as well as being used to good effect to alleviate symptoms of specific, significant diseases such as Parkinson's. They can also treat more everyday problems such as headaches or aches and pains. Caffeine, amphetamines and ecstasy are all examples of stimulant drugs acting on the nervous system, whilst marijuana and alcohol are both examples of suppressive drugs.

Student worksheet answers

Download the teachers notes PDF to access the answers for this lesson.