Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026
09:46
MPI CyberMotion Simulator: Implementation of a Novel Motion Simulator to Investigate Multisensory Path Integration in Three Dimensions
Published on: May 10, 2012
Task-specific modulations of locomotor action parameters based on on-line visual information during collision
Michael Eric Cinelli1, Aftab E Patla
1Brown University, Department of Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences, 190 Thayer Street, Providence, RI 02912, United States. Michael_Cinelli@brown.edu
Human Movement Science
|February 1, 2008
Summary
This study compared real-world and virtual reality (VR) environments, finding that people adjust movement similarly, like changing velocity, to navigate dynamic obstacles. Unexpectedly, shoulder rotations were also used in real environments when velocity adjustments alone were insufficient.
Area of Science:
- Human movement science
- Perception-action coupling
- Locomotion dynamics
Background:
- Virtual reality (VR) studies have explored human interaction with dynamic environments.
- Understanding how individuals control movement in real-world dynamic scenarios is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare movement control mechanisms in real environments versus VR.
- To identify action parameters used for navigating oscillating doors.
Main Methods:
- Participants walked towards oscillating doors of varying aperture sizes.
- Movement adjustments were analyzed based on visual extrapolation and required state matching.
- Action parameters like velocity and shoulder rotations were recorded.
Main Results:
- Individuals in a real environment made velocity adjustments similar to those in VR.
- Shoulder rotations emerged as an additional action parameter in real-world trials.
- These rotations occurred when velocity adjustments alone were insufficient for success.
Conclusions:
- Movement control in dynamic real environments shares similarities with VR.
- Locomotion involves perception-based feedback, not solely feedforward control.
- Shoulder rotations represent a novel adaptation for obstacle negotiation.
