title: Design, data, and theory regarding a digital hand inclinometer: a portable device for studying slant perception.
abstract: Palm boards are often used as a nonverbal measure in human slant perception studies. It was recently found that palm boards are biased and relatively insensitive measures, and that an unrestricted hand gesture provides a more sensitive response (Durgin, Hajnal, Li, Tonge, & Stigliani, Acta Psychologica, 134, 182-197, 2010a). In this article, we describe an original design for a portable lightweight digital device for measuring hand orientation. This device is microcontroller-based and uses a micro inclinometer chip as its inclination sensor. The parts are fairly inexpensive. This device, used to measure hand orientation, provides a sensitive nonverbal method for studying slant perception, which can be used in both indoor and outdoor environments. We present data comparing the use of a free hand to palm-board and verbal measures for surfaces within reach and explain how to interpret free-hand measures for outdoor hills.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA.
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Frank H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Durgin
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009949:Orientation; D011434:Proprioception; D012107:Research Design; D013028:Space Perception; D014796:Visual Perception; D055815:Young Adult