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Blindfold balancing in the spinning space chair

Tom Scott | December 31, 2025



The Multi-Axes Rotation and Tilt Device (MART) is used for spatial orientation experiments: it’s a chair balanced on a metaphorical knife-edge, powered by precise and fast motors. And my job was to not fall over.

More about the Ashton Graybiel Spatial Orientation Laboratory: https://www.brandeis.edu/graybiel/
More about the MART: https://www.brandeis.edu/graybiel/facilities/mart.html
More about Vivek’s research: https://sites.google.com/view/vivekanandpandeyvimal

3D printed movement sculptures by Sacha Panic, Ian Roy, Alberto Pierobon and Vivekanand Pandey Vimal

Edited by Michelle Martin https://www.youtube.com/@OnTheCrux
Audio mix by Graham Haerther http://haerther.net
Thanks to Jordan Harrod for the title!

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Written by Tom Scott

Comments

This post currently has 38 comments.

  7. @Joezip

    December 31, 2025 at 7:02 am

    I work for the company that built this. Was built before my time and I've only ever seen old videos from when it was tested in our facility. Cool to see that it is still being used and running well.

  26. @basildraws

    December 31, 2025 at 7:02 am

    0:12 "…the lab does a whole variety of different things: space research, spatial orientation, how does a person know where they are in space, …"

    Wait, wait, wait!!!! You guys do research into spatial orientation AAAAND how does a person know where they are in space?!!! How diverse!

  28. @mahniskel

    December 31, 2025 at 7:02 am

    But when you’re on your back and spinning in that manner, I mean there wouldn’t be any gravitational cues because you aren’t changing anything in relation to gravity, right? I mean if you were stopping the chair from rolling then I imagine you would have a lot more control; spinning in your back is surely the same as blindfolding someone in a sitting position then spinning the chair (instead of pitching it sideways) expecting them to know which way they’re facing….? Or am I missing something?
    Either way the chairs still cool

  29. @MocaWasHere

    December 31, 2025 at 7:02 am

    ok but how funny would it be if they didnt bring Tom back up at the end so he takes off the blindfold while talking and suddenly stops like "…wait is that the ceiling?"

Comments are closed.

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