Intermediate Visual Space Perception

Visual Mechanisms of Intermediate Distance Space Perception During Self-motion

The ability to judge the locations of various objects from oneself during self-motion in the intermediate distance range (~2-25m) is crucial for successful performance of activities of daily living, such as walking and driving. However, little is known about the mechanisms of visual space perception involved in judging distance, the focus of this project, in the planning and/or execution of self-motion in the natural 3D environment. The theoretical knowledge to be gained from this project will contribute to the scientific literature and provide insights into how eye and neurological defects could impair visual space perception, wayfinding, and mobility.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Vision
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Visual Stimuli for Space Perception

Detailed Description

Every day human subjects rely on their vision to judge the absolute distances of objects around them to plan and guide their actions, such as walking and driving. This, way-finding, process of ascertaining one's position and planning for possible routes of actions cannot be accomplished without reliable perception of visual space in the intermediate distance range (~2-25m from the observer). Thus, the broad long-term objective of this project is to uncover the mechanisms underlying intermediate distance space perception that supports distance judgment.

Yet, less is known about the underlying mechanisms of intermediate distance space perception compared to those of near space perception (<2m). Moreover, extant knowledge is predominantly obtained from testing static observers, making it difficult to generalize to the more common situation where observers plan and execute self-motion. The latter situation is more complex because self-motion is accompanied by retinal image motion of static objects in the surrounding environment, potentially requiring the visual system to simultaneously track the locations of all objects in the environment. The visual system also requires more processing capacity because it has to simultaneously compute the visual space representation, explore the environment, implement motor controls, etc. Clearly, both challenges - coding complexity and capacity limitation - could pose as potential threats to our ability to efficiently judge absolute distances and implement actions. This project hypothesizes the visual system overcomes both challenges by: (a) spatially updating the moving observer's position using an allocentric, world-centered spatial coordinate system for representing visual space, and (b) use spatial working memory (spatial-image) during spatial updating. The investigators will examine both hypotheses in three specific aims.

Aim 1: Investigate the implementation of the allocentric, world-centered spatial coordinate system

Aim 2: Investigate the factors affecting the spatial updating of visual space

Aim 3: Investigate the role of spatial-image memory in visual space perception

The psychophysical experiments will measure human behavioral responses in the real 3D environment. This approach allows for understanding of how humans' natural ecological niche, namely, the ground surface, both constrains and supports space perception and action in the real world. The investigators will test human observers' ability to judge target locations in impoverished visual environments under various conditions, such as while manipulating the observers' cognitive load (attention and memory), or available visual and idiothetic (vestibular and proprioception) information, while they plan and/or execute self-motion (walking). The outcomes of this research will advance the space perception literature, bridge theoretical knowledge of visual space perception and memory-directed navigation (cognitive maps), as well as reveal the influence of vestibular and somatosensory signals. In turn, the theoretical advancements provide insights for better understanding of intermediate distance space perception related to eye and visual impairments and their impacts on mobility in the real 3D environment.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 180
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Zijiang He, Ph.D.; Phone Number: 502-852-6779; Email: zjhe@louisville.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Kentucky
    • Louisville, Kentucky, United States, 49292
      • Recruiting
      • University of Louisville
      • Principal Investigator: Zijiang He, Ph.D.
      • Contact: Zijiang He, Ph.D.; Phone Number: 5028526779; Email: zjhe@louisville.edu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 40 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults (up to 40 years of age)
• Children (18 years and older)
• Normal, or corrected-to-normal, visual acuity (at least 20/20)
• Stereo acuity (<20 arc sec).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Self-reported history of visual and eye diseases
• Physical movement restrictions.
• Vulnerable populations such as pregnant women will be excluded owing to the extensive time commitment required of the subjects.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Visual scences; Lit target locations in visual environment will be varied and subjects' perceived locations will be measured.	Other: Visual Stimuli for Space Perception; The visual environment (e.g., target locations and texture backgrounds) will be varied and human behavioral responses (judged distances) will be measured to reveal the space perception and cognitive processes underlying space perception and navigation.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Visual mechanisms of intermediate distance space perception (distance) before and after self-motion	Subjects will judge perceived distances (cm) of test targets from themselves before self-motion to establish a baseline measure. Subjects will then undergo self-motion for an average of 10 sec, and stop at a predetermined location. Then subjects will again judge the perceived distance (cm) of test targets after the self-motion. The change in perceived distance (cm) from baseline will reveal if their perception is affected by environmental factors, internal perceptual process and/or cognitive process.	During procedure, an average of 10 sec.
Visual mechanisms of intermediate distance space perception (height) before and after self-motion.	Subjects will judge perceived heights (cm) of test targets relative to the floor or ceiling before self-motion to establish a baseline measure. Subjects will then undergo self-motion for an average of 10 sec, and stop at a predetermined location. Then subjects will again judge the perceived height (cm) of test targets after the self-motion. The change in perceived height (cm) from baseline will reveal if their perception is affected by environmental factors, internal perceptual process and/or cognitive process.	Druing procedure, an average of 10 sec.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Louisville
• Collaborators: National Eye Institute (NEI)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Zijiang He, University of Louisville

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 30, 2021
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 1, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 10, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): June 15, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 7, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 5, 2026
• Last Verified: September 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 94.0302; R01EY033190 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No