Human navigation in complex spaces using landmarks and self-motion

使用地标和自运动在复杂空间中进行人类导航

• 批准号: RGPIN-2022-03623
• 负责人: Mou, Weimin
• 金额: $ 2.04万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=764094
• 关键词: Human; navigation; complex; spaces; using

Navigation in complex environment is a fundamental function of the human cognitive system. However, the cognitive mechanisms underneath are not clear. The long-term goal of my research program is to fully understand how humans develop and use spatial memory while navigating complex environments. As human navigation relies on multimodal spatial cues including vision and self-motion, the short-term objective of my research program is to investigate how humans use visual landmarks and self-motion to locate self and goals in complex spaces. I propose three research lines. (1) It is a consensus belief that distal landmarks dominate directional cues while proximal landmarks dominate positional cues, supported by experiments in which humans' self-motion was disrupted. I will propose and test a new hypothesis: when self-motion is involved in navigation, proximal landmarks dominate over distal landmarks as directional cues. (2) It is generally agreed that people use self-motion to continuously update their locations and updating using self-motion is automatic, independent of landmarks. However, empirical evidence for this view is inconsistent. To reconcile the inconsistency, I will propose and test a new theory conjecturing that humans use self-motion to provide likely locations for visual search of the landmarks. (3) Animal neurophysiology demonstrates that rats can extend their 3d headings from the floor to the wall when they climb on vertical walls. I will investigate the extent to which humans can update their 3d headings. The empirical and theoretical outcomes will achieve my short-term objective and pave the way for further research to reach my long-term goal. Methodology. I will design behavioral experiments to test competing theories in the three research lines. In experiments, individual undergraduate students (~3,000, half male) will be tested in immersive virtual environments, which I have been used to study human navigation for 20 years. They will learn locations of objects before walking to the testing positions. They will locate remembered objects relying on self-motion or landmarks. Their response in locating objects will be used to calculate their estimates of position and heading (e.g., using a bi- or tri-dimension regression). By examining the roles of different cues on participants' self-location, I will test my hypotheses and alternative hypotheses. Impact. This proposal is rich in theoretical originality and experimental innovation, contributing to the field of human navigation and broader areas. My original hypothesis that people prefer proximal landmarks to distal landmarks for directions in navigation with self-motion will totally change the existing theory. My innovative paradigm of using tri-dimension regression to calculate peoples' self-location in 3d spaces will create the possibility to study humans' 3d headings behaviorally. The outcomes will have broader impacts on neuroscience and artificial intelligence of navigation.

复杂环境中的导航是人类认知系统的基本功能。但是，下面的认知机制尚不清楚。我的研究计划的长期目标是充分了解人类在浏览复杂环境时如何发展和使用空间记忆。 随着人类导航依靠多模式的空间提示，包括视觉和自我运动，我的研究计划的短期目标是调查人类如何使用视觉地标和自我运动来将自我和目标定位在复杂的空间中。我建议三个研究行。 （1）共识的信念是，远端地标占主导地位线索，而近端地标则占主导地位线索，并得到了实验的支持，其中人类的自我运动受到了破坏。我将提出和检验一个新的假设：当自我运动参与导航时，近端地标在远端地标作为方向提示上占主导地位。 （2）人们普遍认为，人们使用自我运动来不断更新其位置并使用自我运动更新是自动的，与地标无关。但是，这种观点的经验证据是不一致的。为了调和不一致，我将提出并测试一种新的理论，认为人类使用自我运动来提供可能的位置以视觉搜索地标。 （3）动物神经生理学表明，当大鼠在垂直壁上爬时，大鼠可以将其3D标题从地板延伸到墙壁。我将研究人类可以更新其3D标题的程度。经验和理论成果将实现我的短期目标，并为进一步的研究铺平道路，以实现我的长期目标。 方法论。我将设计行为实验，以测试三个研究线中的竞争理论。在实验中，将在身临其境的虚拟环境中测试个别的本科生（约3,000名男性），我被用来研究人类导航已有20年了。他们将在步行到测试位置之前就学习对象的位置。他们将找到依靠自我运动或地标的记忆物体。他们在定位对象方面的响应将用于计算其位置和标题的估计值（例如，使用BI-或三维回归）。通过检查不同提示在参与者自我位置中的作用，我将检验我的假设和替代假设。影响。该提议丰富了理论上的独创性和实验创新，这有助于人类航行和更广泛的领域。我最初的假设是，人们更喜欢近端地标和远端地标在自我运动中导航方向的远端地标将完全改变现有理论。我使用三维回归来计算人民在3D空间中的自我位置的创新范式将创造有可能在行为上研究人类3D标题的可能性。结果将对导航的神经科学和人工智能产生更大的影响。