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Large perspective changes yield perception of metric shape that allows accurate feedforward reaches-to-grasp and it persists after the optic flow has stopped!

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Abstract

Lee et al. (Percept Psychophys 70:1032–1046, 2008a) investigated whether visual perception of metric shape could be calibrated when used to guide feedforward reaches-to-grasp. It could not. Seated participants viewed target objects (elliptical cylinders) in normal lighting using stereo vision and free head movements that allowed small (≈10°) perspective changes. The authors concluded that poor perception of metric shape was the reason reaches-to-grasp should be visually guided online. However, Bingham and Lind (Percept Psychophys 70:524–540, 2008) showed that large perspective changes (≥45°) yield good perception of metric shape. So, now we repeated the Lee et al.’s study with the addition of information from large perspective changes. The results were accurate feedforward reaches-to-grasp reflecting accurate perception of both metric shape and metric size. Large perspective changes occur when one locomotes into a workspace in which reaches-to-grasp are subsequently performed. Does the resulting perception of metric shape persist after the large perspective changes have ceased? Experiments 2 and 3 tested reaches-to-grasp with delays (Exp. 2, 5-s delay; Exp. 3, ≈16-s delay) and multiple objects to be grasped after a single viewing. Perception of metric shape and metric size persisted yielding accurate reaches-to-grasp. We advocate the study of nested actions using a dynamic approach to perception/action.

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Notes

  1. In other recent work [for instance, Perotti et al. (1998) or Norman et al. (2006)], local measures of shape have been used, that is, measures of shape at a point on a curve or surface. Koenderink (1990, pp 319–324) developed both a measure of qualitative variations (cylindrical, ellipsoidal, saddle, etc.) in surface shape at a point, the “shape index”, and a measure of quantitative variations in surface curvature at a point, the “curvedness”. Such local measures are different from more global measures like the aspect ratio. A large and a small circle exhibit different 'curvedness' by definition because curvature is the inverse of the ratio of the tangent circle to a curve at a point. So, the local measure captures a different property of shape than that which corresponds to the more familiar intuition about what shape is.

  2. We also analyzed these data by performing linear regressions separately for each participant regressing actual aspect ratios on grasp aspect ratios and recording the slope in each case. We then performed Anovas on the collected slope values. There was a single between subject factor, Experiment. In addition, there was a repeated measures factor with three levels: MGA Feedback MGA Probe and TGA Probe. The results of these analyses were the same as those in the multiple regressions reported for all experiments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA

    Young-Lim Lee & Geoffrey P. Bingham

  2. Department of Psychology, Indiana University, 1101 East Tenth Street, Bloomington, IN, 47405-7007, USA

    Geoffrey P. Bingham

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  1. Young-Lim Lee
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  2. Geoffrey P. Bingham
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Correspondence to Geoffrey P. Bingham.

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Lee, YL., Bingham, G.P. Large perspective changes yield perception of metric shape that allows accurate feedforward reaches-to-grasp and it persists after the optic flow has stopped!. Exp Brain Res 204, 559–573 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-010-2323-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-010-2323-2

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