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Assessment of Static Graviceptive Perception in the Roll-Plane using the Subjective Visual Vertical Paradigm

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Published on: April 28, 2020

Visuo-tactile heading perception.

Lisa Rosenblum^1,2, Alexander Kreß^1,2, Jakob C B Schwenk^1,2

¹Department of Neurophysics, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany.

Journal of Neurophysiology

|October 19, 2022

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

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.

Keywords:

heading multisensory self-motion visuo-tactile

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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.