Recovery Strategy During Temporary Obscuration of a Tracked Target

Abstract

Separate groups of 11 or 12 subjects performed a 2-dimensional continuous pursuit tracking task, with one of three orders of control. The target was obscured for the middle 2 sec of a 10 sec run. The trackers' tactics during this blank period were studied. It was found that in both horizontal and vertical dimensions the subjects continued to move the pursuing spot with the average velocity at which it had moved while the target was visible. It appears from an analysis of the control stick movements that they achieved this strategy by sampling from their previous behaviour.