Embodied perspective-taking indicated by selective disruption from aberrant self motion

Spatial perspective-taking that involves imagined changes in one’s spatial orientation is facilitated by vestibular stimulation inducing a congruent sensation of self-motion. We examined further the role of vestibular resources in perspective-taking by evaluating whether aberrant and conflicting vestibular stimulation impaired perspective-taking performance. Participants (N = 39) undertook either an “own body transformation” (OBT)task, requiring speeded spatial judgments made from the perspective of a schematic figure, or a control task requiring reconfiguration of spatial mappings from one’s own visuo-spatial perspective. These tasks were performed both without and with vestibular stimulation by whole-body Coriolis motion, according to a repeated measures design, balanced for order. Vestibular stimulation was found to impair performance during the first minute post stimulus relative to the stationary condition. This disruption was task-specific, affecting only the OBT task and not the control task, and dissipated by the second minute post-stimulus. Our experiment thus demonstrates selective temporary impairment of perspective-taking from aberrant vestibular stimulation, implying that uncompromised vestibular resources are necessary for efficient perspective-taking. This finding provides evidence for an embodied mechanism for perspective-taking whereby vestibular input contributes to multisensory processing underlying bodily and social cognition. Ultimately, this knowledge may contribute to the design of interventions that help patients suffering sudden vertigo adapt to the cognitive difficulties caused by aberrant vestibular stimulation

Inventaire et mise en sécurité des anciennes mines d'uranium orphelines

10 p.A la demande du gouvernement français, un groupe de travail composé de membres de l'Andra, BRGM, GEODERIS et l'IRSN, soutenu par la DREAL Auvergne, a effectué un diagnostic des sites miniers uranifères orphelins et a fait des propositions pour assurer leur sécurité

Inventaire et mise en sécurité des anciennes mines d'uranium orphelines

10 p.A la demande du gouvernement français, un groupe de travail composé de membres de l'Andra, BRGM, GEODERIS et l'IRSN, soutenu par la DREAL Auvergne, a effectué un diagnostic des sites miniers uranifères orphelins et a fait des propositions pour assurer leur sécurité

The vestibular system modulates the contributions of head and torso to egocentric spatial judgements

Egocentric representations allow us to describe the external world as experienced from an individual’s bodily location. We recently developed a novel method of quantifying the weight given to different body parts in egocentric judgments (the Misalignment Paradigm). We found that both head and torso contribute to simple alter-egocentric spatial judgments. We hypothesised that artificial stimulation of the vestibular system would provide a head-related signal, which might affect the weighting given to the head in egocentric spatial judgments. Bipolar Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (GVS) was applied during the Misalignment Paradigm. A sham stimulation condition was also included to control for non-specific effects. Our data show that the weight given to the head was increased during left anodal and right cathodal GVS, compared to the opposite GVS polarity and sham stimulation. That is, the polarity of GVS, which preferentially activates vestibular areas in the right cerebral hemisphere, influenced the relative weightings of head and torso in spatial judgments

Perception. Perceiving Space in Pictures

Throughout history, humans have used pictures to convey information about the three-dimensional layout of the environment and the volumetric structure of objects. There is little doubt that this form ofvisual communication can be use- ful practically (e.g. in technical drawings or maps) as well as aesthetically pleasing (e.g. in artistic paintings, prints, or photographs). Yet, pictures are two-dimensional, dimensionally limited, and constrained in intensity and chromaticity. By construc- tion, visual information in pictures undersamples visual information available in the three-dimensional environment. This being the case, how can we perceive space in pictures? In this chapter, I propose a conceptual scheme for understanding visual information about space. The scheme is based on the concept of ambient optic array developed by J. J. Gibson. and on the key idea that information is available in space- time for an embodied moving observer. I then show how this scheme can be used to identify key differences between spatial perception in the actual environment and spa- tial perception in pictures. These differences provide useful insights into the spatial understanding of pictures, reveal the fundamental role of viewpoints in interpreting spatial ambiguity, and identify overlooked factors affecting aesthetic experience in perspective and art