NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF HUMAN VESTIBULAR LABYRINTHS DURING MECHANICAL INDENTATION

This study is to develop a numerical model for simulating experimental processes of mechanical indentation within semicircular canals, and to explore relationships between structural features and balance mechanisms of semicircular canals. Based on published data and experimental results, a three-dimensional elastic fluid dynamics model of the semicircular canal membranous labyrinth was established using the Fluid-solid coupling method. The displacement response of semicircular canals was directly proportional to the peak value of the indent stimulation, sharing the same phase, under low frequency indentation loads (<10/Hz). Meanwhile, the lower the frequency of indentation loads, the faster the decay of the peak cupula displacement of horizontal semicircular canals, the bigger the scale of attenuation, and the longer it takes to stabilize. This study proposed an effective Fluid-solid coupling model of membranous labyrinth, and quantitatively interpreted the relationship between mechanical indentations and rotation stimulus. It is expected that the present work offers a solid foundation for advanced vestibular mechanics and its associated balance mechanisms.