GAZE PATTERNS DURING TREADMILL WALKING IN VIRTUAL REALITY
Advisor Information
Mukul Mukherjee
Location
MBSC Ballroom - Poster #802 - U
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
4-3-2022 10:45 AM
End Date
4-3-2022 12:00 PM
Abstract
Balance control in different environments requires coordination between a wide range of sensorimotor feedback systems, a major one being the visual system. Vision allows us to be able to walk and maintain balance, avoid obstacles, navigate where we are going, and control our stride. In our previous study, we showed that vision plays an important role in controlling balance during walking. This was shown by vision having similar effects to support surface perturbations on mediolateral stability. However, this result was assumed since we did not have a measure of visual perception/response. In the current study, we were able to determine how walking speed will affect gaze control in a dynamic oscillating VR environment using eye-tracking glasses (Tobii, Danderyd, Sweden). The preliminary data from this study shows that when the speed of walking differs from natural speed, gaze control will be reduced. Individuals may not be able to control their gaze as they would at a natural speed due to the need to adapt to the changing speeds. This result from the eye tracker was shown visually by the hex scatter plots, and quantitative by standard deviations. Continuing research will include the effects of visual perturbations at varying walking speeds. With these results, we will gain valuable information on how walking speed might alter the central nervous system’s reliance on the visual system. We anticipate our gaze results will demonstrate more conclusively the effects of visual feedback on balance control during gait.
Scheduling Link
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GAZE PATTERNS DURING TREADMILL WALKING IN VIRTUAL REALITY
MBSC Ballroom - Poster #802 - U
Balance control in different environments requires coordination between a wide range of sensorimotor feedback systems, a major one being the visual system. Vision allows us to be able to walk and maintain balance, avoid obstacles, navigate where we are going, and control our stride. In our previous study, we showed that vision plays an important role in controlling balance during walking. This was shown by vision having similar effects to support surface perturbations on mediolateral stability. However, this result was assumed since we did not have a measure of visual perception/response. In the current study, we were able to determine how walking speed will affect gaze control in a dynamic oscillating VR environment using eye-tracking glasses (Tobii, Danderyd, Sweden). The preliminary data from this study shows that when the speed of walking differs from natural speed, gaze control will be reduced. Individuals may not be able to control their gaze as they would at a natural speed due to the need to adapt to the changing speeds. This result from the eye tracker was shown visually by the hex scatter plots, and quantitative by standard deviations. Continuing research will include the effects of visual perturbations at varying walking speeds. With these results, we will gain valuable information on how walking speed might alter the central nervous system’s reliance on the visual system. We anticipate our gaze results will demonstrate more conclusively the effects of visual feedback on balance control during gait.