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Applying Incongruent Visual-Tactile Stimuli during Object Transfer with Vibro-Tactile Feedback
Published on: May 23, 2019
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Tactile Flow Overrides Other Cues To Self Motion
Laurence R Harris1, Kenzo Sakurai2,3,4, William H A Beaudot3,4
1Centre for Vision Research, York University, 4700 Keele St., Toronto, Ontario, M3J 1P3, Canada. harris@yorku.ca.
Scientific Reports
|April 23, 2017
Summary
Tactile flow, like touching a surface, strongly influences our sense of self-motion timing and speed. This sensory input appears to override other cues, acting as an emergency system for stability.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sensory processing
- Human perception
Background:
- Vestibular-somatosensory interactions are fundamental to brain function.
- The precise role of tactile flow in self-motion perception remains incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of tactile flow on the perception of self-motion timing and speed.
- To determine if tactile flow is integrated optimally with other sensory cues or acts as a dominant input.
Main Methods:
- Participants judged the phase and speed of visual stimuli relative to their body motion on an oscillating swing.
- Tactile flow was manipulated by having participants rest hands on a stationary surface or keep them on their lap.
- Response variances were analyzed to assess cue integration.
Main Results:
- Tactile flow significantly influenced perceived self-motion timing, requiring visual phase to lead body motion for perceived stationarity.
- Speed judgments were accelerated by tactile flow, indicating a dominant rather than integrated sensory contribution.
- Response variances suggest tactile flow overrides other sensory information rather than being optimally integrated.
Conclusions:
- Tactile flow acts as a dominant cue, potentially an 'emergency override,' in self-motion perception.
- This dominance may explain the effectiveness of tactile cues in enhancing stability.
- Artificial tactile feedback could be a valuable tool for augmenting self-motion perception.
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