Walking on virtual surface patterns changes muscular activity

Current designs of structures often involve creative uses of materials and colours. While it is well known that patients with balance related disorders can experience negative effects through perceptual perturbations, the connection from these effects to physical changes still remains unclear. This paper therefore showcases the gait changes induced by walking on potentially irritating virtual surface patterns. Muscular Data from nine healthy young participants point towards a more careful and insecure gait style when confronted with such a pattern. Inhibitions of forward movement are induced by fluctuations in the activity of the musculus rectus femoris and a breaking action by the biceps femoris. This implies a direct connection of visual disturbances to human gait which is especially important for the control of assistive devices that should include an integrated detection of gait relevant visual patterns to compensate patients’ uncertainties. WWW home page: https://www.sport.tu-darmstadt.de/institut_ifs/fac