The regulation of externally paced human locomotion in virtual reality

The goal of the present experiment was to study regulation of human locomotion under externally paced temporal constraints. On a screen placed in front of a treadmill a virtual hallway was projected (Silicon Graphics systems) in which a pair of doors were presented that continuously opened and closed at a rate of 1 Hz. Subjects were attached to a locometer and instructed to regulate walking pace such that the doors were passed correctly. Performance outcome, movement kinematics (stride duration, stride length and synchronization of stride and door cycles) and flow patterns (change in visual angle of door aperture) were used to examine the data. The analysis of the synchronization patterns indicates that stride cycles were not linked to the period of door oscillation. Moreover, results for stride duration reveal that subjects walked at their preferred speed up to the final phase of the approach. This observation is supported by the inspection of the flow patterns, revealing a final increase in variability as a result of regulation. In sum, regulation of locomotion under externally paced temporal constraints seems to generate a specific functional behavior. It appears that regulations are postponed until the final stage of the approach during which adaptations are made according to the requirements of the current situation. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.