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The role of binocular vision in walking

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2009

MARY HAYHOE ,
BARBARA GILLAM ,
KELLY CHAJKA  and
ELIA VECELLIO
MARY HAYHOE*
Affiliation:
Center for Perceptual Systems, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
BARBARA GILLAM
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
KELLY CHAJKA
Affiliation:
Center for Perceptual Systems, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
ELIA VECELLIO
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
*
*Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Mary Hayhoe, Center for Perceptual Systems, Univ of Texas, Austin, University Station A8000, Austin TX 78712. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Despite the extensive investigation of binocular and stereoscopic vision, relatively little is known about its importance in natural visually guided behavior. In this paper, we explored the role of binocular vision when walking over and around obstacles. We monitored eye position during the task as an indicator of the difference between monocular and binocular performances. We found that binocular vision clearly facilitates walking performance. Walkers were slowed by about 10% in monocular vision and raised their foot higher when stepping over obstacles. Although the location and sequence of the fixations did not change in monocular vision, the timing of the fixations relative to the actions was different. Subjects spent proportionately more time fixating the obstacles and fixated longer while guiding foot placement near an obstacle. The data are consistent with greater uncertainty in monocular vision, leading to a greater reliance on feedback in the control of the movements.

Keywords

Binocular visionStereo visionNatural behaviorFixation patternsControl of walking
Type
Natural Tasks
Information
Visual Neuroscience , Volume 26 , Issue 1 , January 2009 , pp. 73 - 80
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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