Iterative Spatial Updating During Forward Linear Walking Revealed Using a Continuous Pointing Task

Abstract

The continuous pointing task uses target-directed pointing responses to determine how perceived distance traveled is estimated during forward linear walking movements. To more precisely examine the regulation of this online process, the current study measured upper extremity joint angles and step-cycle kinematics in full vision and no-vision continuous pointing movements. Results show perceptual under-estimation of traveled distance in no-vision trials compared to full vision trials. Additionally, parsing of the shoulder plane of elevation trajectories revealed discontinuities that reflected this perceptual under-estimation and that were most frequently coupled with the early portion of the right foot swing phase of the step-cycle. This suggests that spatial updating may be composed of discrete iterations that are associated with gait parameters.

Keywords:

• Spatial updating
• locomotion
• pointing
• online control
• distance estimation

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank Claire Tuckey for assisting in data collection for Experiment 2.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) grant (RGPIN-2016-06520) awarded to the last author.