title: [Three dimensional (3D-) clinostat and its operational characteristics].
abstract: Three dimensional clinostat has been developed for simulation of microgravity on ground. It has applied in many disciplines in gravitational biology. Outline of operational principle is described together with its mechanical design. Rotation around two independent axes makes direction of gravity vector to scan whole steric angle. Magnitude and direction of rotational angular velocity is selected randomly at a certain interval of time to avoid singularity in sweep trajectory of gravity vector. Methods for validation of the operation are presented to test randomness of motion and cancellation of gravity by clino-rotation. Concerns discussed are vibration originated in motor and pseudo-weak magnetic field generated on clinostat. Fluid flow induced by clino-rotation is pointed as another problem to be taken into account.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Kanagawa, Japan. yamashita@surc.isas.ac.jp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D006112:Gravitation; D008280:Magnetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012399:Rotation; D014732:Vibration; D018474:Weightlessness Simulation / Q000295:instrumentation*