The candidate for this NIMH K02 Independent Scientist Award was trained as an experimental psychologist and has performed empirical research on the visual perception of optic flow and the control of human locomotion. His long-term objective is to integrate work on perception and action in a dynamical account of visual control. Short-term career goals are to develop a strong theoretical component to his research, including modeling the neural processing of optic flow and the dynamics of visual control, and to incorporate research on perceptual-motor learning. The proposed career development plan includes a course sequence in mathematics and control theory, training in neural and dynamical modeling techniques. The award would be used to release the applicant from teaching and administrative responsibilities to devote full time to research and training.
The specific aims of the proposed research are to determine how information in optic flow is extracted by the visual system and used to control balance and steering during locomotion. Four interrelated projects are proposed. The first project, on perception of heading, will determine the information used to perceive headings during observer translation and rotation, and in the presence of moving objects, using psychophysical methods. A model of this process will be formalized and tested. A project on visual control of steering will determine whether this information is used to control steering with respect to stationary and moving objects, in a joystick control task. The third project, on visual control of walking, will examine how optic flow is used to control balance and steering during treadmill walking and will model the control dynamics of the perception-action loop. The final project focuses on learning control dynamics and will investigate how an infant in a """"""""baby bouncer"""""""" explores and learns to control the dynamics of a simple task, as a model for the acquisition of locomotion. The results would contribute to basic knowledge about the perception of optic flow and the control of locomotion, providing a foundation for clinical research on visual-motor deficits, gait disorders and mobility problems.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Scientist Development Award - Research (K02)
Project #
1K02MH001353-01A1
Application #
2032880
Study Section
Perception and Cognition Review Committee (PEC)
Project Start
1997-02-01
Project End
2002-01-31
Budget Start
1997-02-01
Budget End
1998-01-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Brown University
Department
Miscellaneous
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
001785542
City
Providence
State
RI
Country
United States
Zip Code
02912
Fajen, Brett R; Warren, William H (2007) Behavioral dynamics of intercepting a moving target. Exp Brain Res 180:303-19
Warren, William H (2006) The dynamics of perception and action. Psychol Rev 113:358-89
Li, Li; Warren Jr, William H (2004) Path perception during rotation: influence of instructions, depth range, and dot density. Vision Res 44:1879-89
Fajen, Brett R; Warren, William H (2004) Visual guidance of intercepting a moving target on foot. Perception 33:689-715
Fajen, Brett R; Warren, William H (2003) Behavioral dynamics of steering, obstacle avoidance, and route selection. J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform 29:343-62
Li, Li; Warren Jr, William H (2002) Retinal flow is sufficient for steering during observer rotation. Psychol Sci 13:485-91
Duchon, Andrew P; Warren Jr, William H (2002) A visual equalization strategy for locomotor control: of honeybees, robots, and humans. Psychol Sci 13:272-8
Warren Jr, W H; Kay, B A; Zosh, W D et al. (2001) Optic flow is used to control human walking. Nat Neurosci 4:213-6
Kay, B A; Warren Jr, W H (2001) Coupling of posture and gait: mode locking and parametric excitation. Biol Cybern 85:89-106
Li, L; Warren Jr, W H (2000) Perception of heading during rotation: sufficiency of dense motion parallax and reference objects. Vision Res 40:3873-94