title: Control of human locomotion under various task constraints.
abstract: The goal of this study was to identify the control mechanism used for locomotion pointing regulation under different external temporal constraints. Subjects ( n=8) had to walk on a treadmill through a number of virtual hallways and cross a pair of gliding doors that opened and closed at a constant preset frequency (0.5 Hz or 1 Hz). Crossing performance, step durations, and step lengths were used as dependent measures. The results revealed the regulation of locomotion occurred earlier and was more pronounced at 0.5 Hz than at 1 Hz, making performance better at 0.5 Hz. Nevertheless at the two frequencies the control mechanism appears similar; it is grounded on information movement coupling. This control mechanism allows for the production of specific behavior according to the task constraints.
authors.affiliation: UMR Mouvement et Perception, Faculté des Sciences du Sport, Université de la Méditerranée et CNRS, 163 Avenue de Luminy CP 910, 13288 Marseille Cédex 9, France. montagne@laps.univ-mrs.fr
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montagne
authors.forename: Martinus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buekers
authors.forename: Aymar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Rugy
authors.forename: Cyril
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Camachon
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laurent
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D003463:Cues; D005246:Feedback / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*