Walk on a tight rope

Find your inner circus artist! Challenge your ability to balance and see if you can walk on a tight rope. Feel free to wobble!

In this experiment, you can challenge yourself and your body! Do you have a good balance? Is it possible to improve your results? Can you keep your balance longer by using your body's position, strength, speed and stamina?

The vestibular system monitors all body movements and changes in position. The vestibular system is located in the inner ear – where the membranous labyrinth with the body's auditory and balance organs: the cochlea and the semicircular canals – can be found.

The three semi-circle shaped canals stick out of an oval-shaped sac known as the cupula. Both the sac and the canals contain fluids and very fine receptors. When you move your head, this fluid shifts but after a slight delay. The relative movements aggravate the receptors, which then send signals to the brain via the balance nerve (vestibulocochlear nerve). These signals help focus vision when you move your head.