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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

Measurement of Vibration Detection Threshold and Tactile Spatial Acuity in Human Subjects

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Published on: September 1, 2016

Segmented space: measuring tactile localisation in body coordinates.

Vanessa Harrar¹, Lisa M Pritchett, Laurence R Harris

¹Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3UD, UK. vanessa.harrar@psy.ox.ac.uk

Multisensory Research

|May 30, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study introduces the Segmented Space Method (SSM) to measure touch perception. Findings suggest tactile location is coded within a visual reference frame, even without visual cues.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Perception Psychology
Somatosensory System Research

Background:

Previous studies suggest touch localization errors relate to eye and head position, implying a visual reference frame for touch.
Prior research methods may have inadvertently biased tactile localization by using visual probes.
A within-modality measure is needed to definitively determine the coordinate system for tactile coding.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce and validate a novel within-modality method, the Segmented Space Method (SSM), for measuring tactile location in body coordinates.
To investigate tactile spatial localization during eccentric viewing using the SSM.
To provide further evidence for or against the hypothesis that touch is coded within a visual reference frame.

Main Methods:

Development of the Segmented Space Method (SSM), where participants report perceived tactile stimulus location by choosing a numbered segment of a divided space.
Application of the SSM to assess tactile localization on the forearm during eccentric viewing.
Comparison of SSM results with previous crossmodal findings.

Main Results:

The Segmented Space Method (SSM) successfully measured perceived tactile location in body coordinates.
Tactile localization errors were observed during eccentric viewing, consistent with previous crossmodal studies.
Data supports the theory that tactile spatial localization is generally coded in a visual reference frame.

Conclusions:

The Segmented Space Method (SSM) is a viable and novel tool for assessing tactile perception within a single modality.
The findings reinforce the concept that the brain utilizes a visual reference frame for processing touch, even when visual input is not task-dependent.
This research contributes to understanding the complex interplay between sensory systems in spatial awareness.