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Visuo-tactile heading perception
Lisa Rosenblum1,2, Alexander Kreß1,2, Jakob C B Schwenk1,2
1Department of Neurophysics, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
Journal of Neurophysiology
|October 19, 2022
Summary
This study reveals tactile flow significantly influences heading perception, even when visual cues dominate. Surprisingly, eye orientation impacts tactile heading, suggesting a greater role for touch in self-motion than previously understood.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sensory Perception
- Human Factors
Background:
- Self-motion perception (heading) relies on various sensory inputs, primarily visual and vestibular.
- The contribution of tactile stimuli to heading perception is less understood.
- Investigating the interplay between visual and tactile cues offers new insights into spatial orientation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the interaction between visual and tactile stimuli in human heading perception.
- To determine the reference frame for visuo-tactile heading encoding.
- To assess the influence of head and eye orientation on multisensory heading perception.
Main Methods:
- Participants perceived heading using unimodal (visual or tactile) or bimodal stimuli simulating self-motion.
- Visual stimuli involved optic flow; tactile stimuli used airflow.
- Head and eye orientations were manipulated during bimodal trials with congruent and incongruent stimuli.
Main Results:
- Heading perception was predominantly driven by visual cues in bimodal conditions.
- Head orientation changes did not significantly affect perceived heading.
- Eye orientation changes surprisingly altered tactile heading perception, indicating its influence.
Conclusions:
- Tactile flow plays a more critical role in heading perception than previously recognized.
- Heading perception is primarily body or world-centered, with a centripetal bias.
- The findings challenge existing models by highlighting the significant, though visually dominated, contribution of tactile information.
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