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Perception of 3-D location based on vision, touch, and extended touch
Nicholas A Giudice1, Roberta L Klatzky, Christopher R Bennett
1Spatial Informatics Program, School of Computing and Information Science, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA. Nicholas.Giudice@maine.edu
Experimental Brain Research
|October 17, 2012
Summary
Spatial working memory can form 3-D spatial images using extended touch. Perception via extended touch, even at distances up to 1.75 meters, is surprisingly accurate, aiding spatial updating.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Human Spatial Perception
- Haptic Perception
Background:
- Spatial images in working memory represent the near environment.
- These spatial representations are updated as an observer moves.
- The formation and accuracy of spatial images using extended touch are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if spatial images are formed using extended touch.
- To determine the accuracy of perceiving 3-D target locations via extended touch.
- To assess the updating of spatial representations acquired through extended touch.
Main Methods:
- Participants perceived 3-D target locations using vision or blindfolded extended touch (bare hand, 1m probe, 2m probe).
- A spatial updating task involved blindfolded walking and then placing the hand at the remembered target location.
- Experiment 2 controlled for auditory cues signifying target contact.
Main Results:
- Systematic azimuth errors occurred across all perception conditions, indicating representational and updating errors.
- Visual perception yielded the best spatial updating, though differences between conditions were minor.
- Extended touch perception, even up to 1.75m, proved surprisingly accurate.
Conclusions:
- Three-dimensional spatial images can be formed from targets perceived via extended touch.
- Extended touch provides a viable and accurate method for spatial perception and updating.
- The accuracy of extended touch perception supports its role in navigating and interacting with the environment.
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