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Biomedical subjects

E R Strelow

Publications and source records attributed to E R Strelow.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1987

Behavioral observations of sensory substitution in neonate macaques (Macaca arctoides).

The ability of neonate macaque monkeys to learn to respond to artificial spatial sensory information was studied through the use of compact, head-worn, electronic spatial sonars with audible displays, which translate spatial information into auditory dimensions specifying distance, direction, and surface characteristics. Three animals were born in the dark and raised without vision for 1 to 3 months while wearing either the Binaural Sensory Aid (Animal 1; Kay, 1974) or the Trisensor (Animals 2 and 3; Easton & Jackson, 1983) airborne sonars. Each animal demonstrated alertness to information transmitted by the devices in spontaneous reaching or reinforced discrimination tasks, and more device-related, perceptual-motor activities were observed when the sensors were switched on than when they were switched off. The results show that neonate monkeys can learn effective use of information obtained from sensory substitution devices through unstructured interaction with the environment.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Learning spatial dimensions with a visual sensory aid: Molyneux revisited.

The relationship between sensory aid research and several areas of perceptual learning has been explored with five experiments on learning the use of the Binaural Sensory Aid, an electronic sensor in which pitch specifies distance and interaural amplitude difference (IAD) specifies direction. The training task required reaching to objects in near space, with tactile error feedback. Perceptual learning for both dimensions was demonstrated within 72 trials, giving a level of performance comparable to the use of a natural sound source, although performance with the direction cue did not reach asymptote until a second training session. Training was unaffected by various kinds of regularity in the spatial target sequences, or by a reduction in the number of spatial target locations until only two locations were used; at this point directional accuracy declines. Training only one dimension at a time did not produce additional improvement of performance on that dimension, but did impair generalization of the direction cue. Learning of the pitch-distance dimension was generally better than that of the IAD dimension, possibly because of its greater discriminability with this device. Generally, the pattern of results indicates that in learning to use such devices subjects readily determine the sensory dimensions of the codes and have considerable ability to generalize to new locations.

Distance Perception↗
PubMed1982

Locomotion of the blind controlled by natural sound cues.

Measures of the accuracy of locomotion control were taken with blind and blindfolded sighted subjects using the natural auditory obstacle sense to locate a travel path. These measures were compared with the accuracy of visual guidance. While the blind show a greater skill than blindfolded sighted subjects in using auditory cues for guidance, auditory guidance is notably inferior to visual guidance and deteriorates markedly when smaller targets are used to define the travel path. The natural obstacle sense thus appears to give only a rudimentary perception of the presence of objects and does not provide sufficient spatial information to allow accurate locomotion control.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Use of foreground and background information in visually guided locomotion.

The effects of reducing the range of spatial perception on the accuracy of visually guided locomotion were studied in two experiments. Limiting the range of perception to only near objects produces changes in the flow of stimulus detail and reduces opportunities for the appearance of an aiming point and for motion parallax. Such conditions were found to produce inferior performance compared to full vision, or to minimal background information. A defined aiming point was also found to assist control when no other background was present. The results are discussed with reference to theories of locomotor control and the design of artificial spatial sensing aids for the blind.

Depth Perception↗
PubMed1979

A prosthetic aid for a developing blind child.

An experimental ultrasonic sonar for use as a sensory aid with blind children is described. Novel signal processing techniques make the aid relatively simple to construct, yet allow many of its parameters to be changed in the field. In particular, the aid has two features, a variable range code and an automatic level control, which make the device very versatile in a wide variety of environments. The ultrasonic tranducers used in the aid are described in some detail.

Blindness↗