Whenever we move the hand across a surface, tactile signals provide information about the relative velocity between the skin and the surface. If the system were able to integrate the tactile velocity information over time, cutaneous touch may provide an estimate of the relative displacement between the hand and the surface. Here, we asked whether humans are able to form a reliable representation of the motion path from tactile cues only, integrating motion information over time. In order to address this issue, we conducted three experiments using tactile motion and asked participants (1) to estimate the length of a simulated triangle, (2) to reproduce the shape of a simulated triangular path, and (3) to estimate the angle between two-line segments. Participants were able to accurately indicate the length of the path, whereas the perceived direction was affected by a direction bias (inward bias). The response pattern was thus qualitatively similar to the ones reported in classical path integration studies involving locomotion. However, we explain the directional biases as the result of a tactile motion aftereffect.

Moscatelli, A., Naceri, A., Ernst, M.o. (2014). Path integration in tactile perception of shapes. BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH, 274, 355-364 [10.1016/j.bbr.2014.08.025].

Path integration in tactile perception of shapes

Moscatelli A.
;
2014-01-01

Abstract

Whenever we move the hand across a surface, tactile signals provide information about the relative velocity between the skin and the surface. If the system were able to integrate the tactile velocity information over time, cutaneous touch may provide an estimate of the relative displacement between the hand and the surface. Here, we asked whether humans are able to form a reliable representation of the motion path from tactile cues only, integrating motion information over time. In order to address this issue, we conducted three experiments using tactile motion and asked participants (1) to estimate the length of a simulated triangle, (2) to reproduce the shape of a simulated triangular path, and (3) to estimate the angle between two-line segments. Participants were able to accurately indicate the length of the path, whereas the perceived direction was affected by a direction bias (inward bias). The response pattern was thus qualitatively similar to the ones reported in classical path integration studies involving locomotion. However, we explain the directional biases as the result of a tactile motion aftereffect.
2014
Pubblicato
Rilevanza internazionale
Articolo
Esperti anonimi
Settore BIO/09 - FISIOLOGIA
English
Con Impact Factor ISI
Motion aftereffect; Path Integration; Tactile motion; Adult; Female; Hand; Humans; Male; Motion; Motion Perception; Orientation; Pattern Recognition, Physiological; Touch; Touch Perception; Young Adult
Moscatelli, A., Naceri, A., Ernst, M.o. (2014). Path integration in tactile perception of shapes. BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH, 274, 355-364 [10.1016/j.bbr.2014.08.025].
Moscatelli, A; Naceri, A; Ernst, Mo
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2108/193252
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