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A Standardized Obstacle Course for Assessment of Visual Function in Ultra Low Vision and Artificial Vision
Published on: February 11, 2014
Visual exteroceptive information provided during obstacle crossing did not modify the lower limb trajectory
Chris K Rhea1, Shirley Rietdyk
1Department of Health and Kinesiology, 800 West Stadium Ave., Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47906, United States.
Neuroscience Letters
|March 27, 2007
Summary
Visual exproprioception, not exteroception, is key for adapting gait during obstacle crossing. Goggles impaired gait adaptation, highlighting the importance of body-environment visual cues for fine-tuning leg movements.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Human Motor Control
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Gait adaptation to obstacles involves complex sensory integration.
- The distinct roles of visual exteroception and exproprioception in gait adaptation remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how visual exteroception (obstacle characteristics) and exproprioception (body-environment relation) influence foot placement and elevation during obstacle crossing.
- To determine the primary sensory information used for on-line gait adjustments.
Main Methods:
- Ten subjects crossed obstacles of varying heights (2-30 cm) under four visual conditions: full vision with/without obstacle cues, and goggles with/without cues.
- Goggles manipulated lower limb-obstacle visual exproprioception.
- An obstacle cue provided visual exteroceptive information.
Main Results:
- Wearing goggles significantly increased horizontal foot placement distance, toe clearance, and toe clearance variability.
- The presence of an obstacle height cue did not significantly alter these gait parameters.
- Gait adjustments were primarily affected by the manipulation of visual exproprioception.
Conclusions:
- Visual exproprioception, rather than visual exteroception, is crucial for on-line modulation of lower limb trajectory during obstacle avoidance.
- This finding emphasizes the importance of the body's spatial relationship with the environment for dynamic gait control.
