Soczawa-Stronczyk Artur A, Bocian Mateusz, Wdowicka Hanna, Malin Joseph
Department of Engineering, University of Leicester, UK.
Department of Engineering, University of Leicester, UK; Biomechanics & Immersive Technology Laboratory, University of Leicester, UK.
Hum Mov Sci. 2019 Aug;66:541-553. doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2019.06.007. Epub 2019 Jun 17.
Walking is one of the fundamental forms of human gross motor activity in which spatiotemporal movement coordination can occur. While considerable body of evidence already exists on pedestrian movement coordination while walking in pairs, little is known about gait control while walking in more complex topological arrangements. To this end, this study provides some of the first evidence of spontaneous gait synchronisation while walking in a group. Nine subjects covered the total distance of 40 km at different speeds while assembled in a three-by-three formation. Two experimental protocols were applied in which the subjects were either not specifically asked to or specifically asked to synchronise their gait. To obtain results representative from the point of view of gait control, the movement coordination was quantified using the indirectly measured vertical component of ground reaction force, based on output from a network of wireless motion monitors. Bivariate phase difference analysis was conducted using wavelet transform, synchronisation strength measures derived from Shannon entropy, and circular statistics. A fundamental relationship describing the influence of the group walking speed on individuals' pacing frequency was established, showing a positive correlation different from that previously reported for walking in solitude. A positive correlation was found between the average synchronisation strength within a group and group's walking speed. The most persistent coordination patterns were identified for pedestrians walking front-to-back and side-by-side. Overall, the spontaneous gait synchronisation while walking in a group is relatively weak, well below the levels reported for walking in pairs.
行走是人类总体运动活动的基本形式之一，在其中可以发生时空运动协调。虽然已经有大量关于两人同行时行人运动协调的证据，但对于在更复杂拓扑结构中行走时的步态控制却知之甚少。为此，本研究提供了一些关于群体行走时自发步态同步的初步证据。九名受试者以三乘三的队形组合，以不同速度走完了40公里的总路程。应用了两种实验方案，在其中受试者要么没有被特别要求、要么被特别要求同步他们的步态。为了从步态控制的角度获得具有代表性的结果，基于无线运动监测器网络的输出，使用间接测量的地面反作用力垂直分量对运动协调性进行了量化。使用小波变换、从香农熵导出的同步强度测量方法以及循环统计进行了双变量相位差分析。建立了一个描述群体行走速度对个体步频影响的基本关系，显示出与先前报道的独自行走时不同的正相关。发现群体内平均同步强度与群体行走速度之间存在正相关。确定了前后行走和并排行走的行人中最持久的协调模式。总体而言，群体行走时的自发步态同步相对较弱，远低于两人同行时报道的水平。
