THE BUCHA EFFECT (FLICKER VERTIGO)
The Bucha Effect, also known as Flicker Vertigo, is an imbalance in brain cell activity caused by exposure to low flickering(flashing) or relative bright lights and patterns.
This effect as named after Dr. Bucha who identified the phenomenon in the 1950s when he investigated a series of similar and unexplained helicopter crashes. The pilots who suffered reported sudden onset of dizziness and confusion, causing the pilots to loose control of tier aircrafts. Dr. Bucha discovered that the helicopter rotor blades, when turning at a certain speed, could cause flashes of sunlight at frequencies which coincide with with the electrical frequencies of the central nervous system These induced symptoms were similar to epileptic seizures, including nausea and disorientation.
The Bucha Effect causes the brain cell activity to become imbalanced by exposure to low frequency flickering/flashing. It does cause disorientation, vertigo, and nausea inducing as a result of strobe lights/flashing. It occurs between 1 Hz to 20 Hz. The Same frequency of human brainwaves. The Bucha effect can cause seizures from photosensitive epilepsy. This effect is not limited to those who are prone to a history of Epilepsy.
The Bucha Effect/Flicker Vertigo is a form of a nonlethal weapon. It is a crowd control device. The technique of using the Bucha effect as a non lethal weapon was invented by Charles Bovill. He used a combination of ultra sonic waves and strobe lights to induce acute discomfort, sickness disorientation, and epilepsy.
The Strobe Light Effect of the Bucha Effect can cause those who are vulnerable to Flicker Vertigo to experience the following symptoms:
Disorientation
Nausea
Rapid Blinking
Rapid Eye movement behind closed eyes.
Loss of control of fine motor symptoms
Muscle Rigidity
In extreme cases of Flicker Vertigo/Bucha Effect, severe reactions can happen. Those include:
Total persistent loss of bodily functions
Loss of muscle/motor responses
Loss of control of moving vehicles
Grand mal seizures
The Bucha Effect can occur whenever there is light flickering conditions, such as:
Using electronics on low light conditions for extended periods of time.
Sunlight flickering through a tree line street.
Sunlight reflecting off of water, rippling waves.
Looking through a slowly spinning propeller.
Imagery in electronic form with intense colors, patterns, flickering/strob light effects.
Imagery in electronic form that uses optical illusion, reverse imagery, and/or multiple sets of the same image in multiple colors using flickering or movement.
VIDEO GAMES, VISUAL ARTS, TELEVISION
The Bucha Effect on video games, visual arts, or Television, the flashing and flickering effects have been used in editing and visual effects for decades. It is prevalent on reality or competition based Television show. Almost any piece of visual media at one point has used camera flashes, spooky effects, lighting effects, gunfire, strobe lights, glitch effects, florescent light flickering, warning lights, fire light, which are not natural life occurrences. These occurrences are used in the entertainment media an with social media.
BUCHA EFFECT AND GIFs
Content which flickers, flashes, or blinks can trigger photosensitive epilepsy. Web technologies that use videos, animated GIFs, animated PNGs, animated SVGs, Canvas,, and CSS or JavaScript animations are capale of content that can induce seizures or other incapacitating physical reactions.
Many distributors of entertainment media will distribute video and GIFs to be used on social media, without putting a warning lable on them that they may cause epileptic seizures. In 2008, the Epilepsy Foundation had to temporarily shut down its website after hackers plastered the foundation’s forum with flashing images.
In 2016, Newsweek Journalist, Kurt Eichenwald, suffered from debilitating photosensitive seizures after viewing a strobing GIF sent to him by a Twitter Troll, John Rayne Rivello. The tweet sent out said, “You deserve a seizure for your post.” Rivello was tried in court and the Judge ruled that Sending GIFs out to cause harm was a form of battery.
BUCHA EFFECT AND NON LETHAL WEAPONRY:
When the Bucha Effect is used in a large setting or event, people will experience vertigo, motion sickness, migraines, and seizures. This is caused by intense flashes high contrast patterns and colors. The more flashing which occurs, the more dangerous of an experience.
Non Lethal Weapons have been developed using the Bucha Effect for decades. These Non Lethal Weapons use strobe lights and flashes. Strobe lights effect peak regional cerebral blood flow in the visual cortex, which affects the central nervous system. The higher the frequency of the strobe/flashing, the more hazardous it affects the central nervous system. Types of non lethal weaponry which uses the Bucha Effect are:
STROBE WEAPONS: Non Lethal Weapons designed to daze or immobilize opponents with flashing lights. They were first developed during the Second World War.
LED INCAPACITATORS: This Non Lethal Weapon, LED “Light Sabre,” was developed for use in crowd control. The device uses light emitting diodes to emit super bright pulses of light at rapid changing wavelengths, causing disorientation, nausea, and even vomiting if the weapon is pointed directly at someone.
DAZZLERS: Non Lethal Weapon which uses intense directed radiation to temporarily disorient its target with flash blindness. They can effectively deter further advances, hailing, or warnings. Targets include electronic structures as well as human vision.
