The dynamics of the human head during natural activities that require clear vision

The current understanding of the dynamics of the human head, and the demands placed on its control and stability systems, is based largely on the results of experiments conducted in artificial settings, such as when subjects are tasked with walking or running in place, and may not reflect the dynamics of the head during normal behaviors. The objective of this research was to quantify the dynamics of the head during natural activities that require clear vision and to establish input-output relations between the trunk's motion and the head's response. A portable sensor and data acquisition system was developed using MEMs based angular velocity sensors to track the yaw and pitch velocities of the head and the trunk. Subjects were tested under experimental conditions that required them to 1) simultaneously walk or run, and visually track and catch a moving ball, 2) walk or run without being given a defined visual task, and 3) stand in place and maintain eye contact with the experimenter during a conversation. During all trials, head velocities rarely exceeded 160 deg/s in pitch and 200 deg/s in yaw, and trunk velocities rarely exceeded 90 deg/s in pitch and 200 deg/s in yaw. In yaw, head and trunk velocities were greatest when subjects ran without a defined visual task.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Bates, Warren (Warren W.)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Lynette Jones and James Tangorra.

• Mechanical Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/36298

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/36298