Lauflabor Locomotion Laboratory, Institute of Sports Science and Centre for Cognitive Science, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64289 Darmstadt, Germany.
Sensorimotor Control and Learning Lab, Centre for Cognitive Science, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64289 Darmstadt, Germany.
Sensors (Basel). 2024 Aug 13;24(16):5242. doi: 10.3390/s24165242.
Inclusive design does not stop at removing physical obstacles such as staircases. It also involves identifying architectural features that impose sensory burdens, such as repetitive visual patterns that are known to potentially cause dizziness or visual discomfort. In order to assess their influence on human gait and its stability, three repetitive patterns-random dots, repetitive stripes, and repetitive waves (Lisbon pattern)-were displayed in a coloured and greyscale variant in a virtual reality (VR) environment. The movements of eight participants were recorded using a motion capture system and electromyography (EMG). During all test conditions, a significant increase in the muscular activity of leg flexor muscles was identified just before touchdown. Further, an increase in the activity of laterally stabilising muscles during the swing phase was observed for all of the test conditions. The lateral and vertical centre of mass (CoM) deviation was statistically evaluated using a linear mixed model (LMM). The patterns did cause a significant increase in the CoM excursion in the vertical direction but not in the lateral direction. These findings are indicative of an inhibited and more cautious gait style and a change in control strategy. Furthermore, we quantified the induced discomfort by using both algorithmic estimates and self-reports. The Fourier-based methods favoured the greyscaled random dots over repetitive stripes. The colour metric favoured the striped pattern over the random dots. The participants reported that the wavey Lisbon pattern was the most disruptive. For architectural and structural design, this study indicates (1) that highly repetitive patterns should be used with care in consideration of their impact on the human visuomotor system and its behavioural effects and (2) that coloured patterns should be used with greater caution than greyscale patterns.
包容性设计不仅要消除楼梯等物理障碍。它还涉及识别那些可能会造成感官负担的建筑特征，例如已知可能导致头晕或视觉不适的重复视觉模式。为了评估它们对人类步态及其稳定性的影响，在虚拟现实 (VR) 环境中以彩色和灰度变体显示了三种重复模式——随机点、重复条纹和重复波（里斯本模式）。使用运动捕捉系统和肌电图 (EMG) 记录了八名参与者的运动。在所有测试条件下，在触地前都发现腿部屈肌的肌肉活动明显增加。此外，在所有测试条件下，在摆动阶段观察到侧向稳定肌肉的活动增加。使用线性混合模型 (LMM) 对侧向和垂直质心 (CoM) 偏差进行了统计评估。这些模式确实导致 CoM 在垂直方向上的偏移量显著增加，但在侧向方向上没有。这些发现表明步态受到抑制，更加谨慎，控制策略发生变化。此外，我们通过使用算法估计和自我报告来量化引起的不适。基于傅立叶的方法偏爱灰度随机点而不是重复条纹。颜色度量偏爱条纹图案而不是随机点。参与者报告说波浪形的里斯本模式最具干扰性。对于建筑和结构设计，这项研究表明：（1）高度重复的模式应谨慎使用，考虑到它们对人类视觉运动系统及其行为影响的影响；（2）彩色模式的使用应比灰度模式更加谨慎。
