Embodying an extra virtual body in augmented reality

Presence and the sense of embodiment are essential concepts for the experience of our self and virtual bodies, but there is little quantitative evidence for a relation between these, and this relation becomes more complicated when there are real and virtual bodies in augmented reality (AR). We investigate the experience of body ownership, agency...

Integration of visual and inertial cues in the perception of angular self-motion

The brain is able to determine angular self-motion from visual, vestibular, and kinesthetic information. There is compelling evidence that both humans and non-human primates integrate visual and inertial (i.e., vestibular and kinesthetic) information in a statistically optimal fashion when discriminating heading direction. In the present study,...

Controlling a tactile ERP-BCI in a dual-task

When using brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) to control a game, the BCI may have to compete with gaming tasks for the same perceptual and cognitive resources.We investigated: 1) if and to what extent event-related potentials (ERPs) and ERP–BCI performance are affected in a dual-task situation; and 2) if these effects are an area function of the...

Observers can reliably identify illusory flashes in the illusory flash paradigm

In the illusory flash paradigm, a single flash may be experienced as two flashes when accompanied by two beeps or taps, and two flashes may be experienced as a single flash when accompanied by one beep or tap. The classic paradigm restricts responses to '1' and '2' (2-AFC), ignoring possible qualitative differences between real and illusory...

Control-display mapping in brain-computer interfaces

Event-related potential (ERP) based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) employ differences in brain responses to attended and ignored stimuli. When using a tactile ERP-BCI for navigation, mapping is required between navigation directions on a visual display and unambiguously corresponding tactile stimuli (tactors) from a tactile control device:...

The perception of verticality in lunar and Martian gravity conditions

Although the mechanisms of neural adaptation to weightlessness and re-adaptation to Earth-gravity have received a lot of attention since the first human space flight, there is as yet little knowledge about how spatial orientation is affected by partial gravity, such as lunar gravity of 0.16. g or Martian gravity of 0.38. g. Up to now twelve...

Does bimodal stimulus presentation increase ERP components usable in BCIs?

Event-related potential (ERP)-based brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) employ differences in brain responses to attended and ignored stimuli. Typically, visual stimuli are used. Tactile stimuli have recently been suggested as a gaze-independent alternative. Bimodal stimuli could evoke additional brain activity due to multisensory integration which...

BCIs in multimodal interaction and multitask environments: Theoretical issues and initial guidelines

The development of Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) enters a phase in which these devices are no longer restricted to applications in controlled, single-task environments. For instance, BCIs for gaming or high-end operator stations will function as part of a multimodal user interface in a multitask environment. This phase introduces new issues...

Obstacle crossing with lower visual field restriction: Shifts in strategy

In this study, the authors investigated how restriction of the vertical viewing angle influences obstacle-crossing behavior. Twelve participants stepped over obstacles of different dimensions while wearing visual-field-restricting goggles. Using full-body motion capture, several kinematic measures were extracted and analyzed. Results indicate...

Human locomotion through a multiple obstacle environment: Strategy changes as a result of visual field limitation

This study investigated how human locomotion through an obstacle environment is influenced by visual field limitation. Participants were asked to walk at a comfortable pace to a target location while avoiding multiple vertical objects. During this task, they wore goggles restricting their visual field to small (S: 40° × 25°), medium (M: 80° × 60...

Avoiding obstacles: Strategy changes as a result of visual field limitation