Bayesian Alternation During Tactile Augmentation

A large number of studies suggest that the integration of multisensory signals by humans is well described by Bayesian principles. However, there are very few reports about cue combination between a native and an augmented sense. In particular, we asked the question whether adult participants are ab...

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Main Authors: Caspar Mathias Goeke, Serena Planera, Holger Finger, Peter König
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2016-10-01
Series:Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00187/full
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author Caspar Mathias Goeke
Serena Planera
Holger Finger
Peter König
Peter König
author_facet Caspar Mathias Goeke
Serena Planera
Holger Finger
Peter König
Peter König
author_sort Caspar Mathias Goeke
collection DOAJ
description A large number of studies suggest that the integration of multisensory signals by humans is well described by Bayesian principles. However, there are very few reports about cue combination between a native and an augmented sense. In particular, we asked the question whether adult participants are able to integrate an augmented sensory cue with existing native sensory information. Hence for the purpose of this study we build a tactile augmentation device. Consequently, we compared different hypotheses of how untrained adult participants combine information from a native and an augmented sense. In a two-interval forced choice (2 IFC) task, while subjects were blindfolded and seated on a rotating platform, our sensory augmentation device translated information on whole body yaw rotation to tactile stimulation. Three conditions were realized: tactile stimulation only (augmented condition), rotation only (native condition), and both augmented and native information (bimodal condition). Participants had to choose one out of two consecutive rotations with higher angular rotation. For the analysis, we fitted the participants’ responses with a probit model and calculated the just notable difference (JND). Then we compared several models for predicting bimodal from unimodal responses. An objective Bayesian alternation model yielded a better prediction (χred2 = 1.67) than the Bayesian integration model (χred2= 4.34). Slightly higher accuracy showed a non-Bayesian winner takes all model (χred2= 1.64), which either used only native or only augmented values per subject for prediction. However the performance of the Bayesian alternation model could be substantially improved (χred2= 1.09) utilizing subjective weights obtained by a questionnaire. As a result, the subjective Bayesian alternation model predicted bimodal performance most accurately among all tested models. These results suggest that information from augmented and existing sensory modalities in untrained humans is combined via a subjective Bayesian alternation process. Therefore we conclude that behavior in our bimodal condition is explained better by top down-subjective weighting than by bottom-up weighting based upon objective cue reliability.
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spelling doaj.art-0417b7560e8a4cf8808fcfb4f7aa90a62022-12-22T03:09:27ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience1662-51532016-10-011010.3389/fnbeh.2016.00187211879Bayesian Alternation During Tactile AugmentationCaspar Mathias Goeke0Serena Planera1Holger Finger2Peter König3Peter König4University of OsnabrueckUniversity of OsnabrueckUniversity of OsnabrueckUniversity of OsnabrueckUniversity Medical Center Hamburg-EppendorfA large number of studies suggest that the integration of multisensory signals by humans is well described by Bayesian principles. However, there are very few reports about cue combination between a native and an augmented sense. In particular, we asked the question whether adult participants are able to integrate an augmented sensory cue with existing native sensory information. Hence for the purpose of this study we build a tactile augmentation device. Consequently, we compared different hypotheses of how untrained adult participants combine information from a native and an augmented sense. In a two-interval forced choice (2 IFC) task, while subjects were blindfolded and seated on a rotating platform, our sensory augmentation device translated information on whole body yaw rotation to tactile stimulation. Three conditions were realized: tactile stimulation only (augmented condition), rotation only (native condition), and both augmented and native information (bimodal condition). Participants had to choose one out of two consecutive rotations with higher angular rotation. For the analysis, we fitted the participants’ responses with a probit model and calculated the just notable difference (JND). Then we compared several models for predicting bimodal from unimodal responses. An objective Bayesian alternation model yielded a better prediction (χred2 = 1.67) than the Bayesian integration model (χred2= 4.34). Slightly higher accuracy showed a non-Bayesian winner takes all model (χred2= 1.64), which either used only native or only augmented values per subject for prediction. However the performance of the Bayesian alternation model could be substantially improved (χred2= 1.09) utilizing subjective weights obtained by a questionnaire. As a result, the subjective Bayesian alternation model predicted bimodal performance most accurately among all tested models. These results suggest that information from augmented and existing sensory modalities in untrained humans is combined via a subjective Bayesian alternation process. Therefore we conclude that behavior in our bimodal condition is explained better by top down-subjective weighting than by bottom-up weighting based upon objective cue reliability.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00187/fullmultimodal integrationvestibular systemSensory augmentationtactile stimulationSubjective uncertaintyBayesian alternation
spellingShingle Caspar Mathias Goeke
Serena Planera
Holger Finger
Peter König
Peter König
Bayesian Alternation During Tactile Augmentation
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
multimodal integration
vestibular system
Sensory augmentation
tactile stimulation
Subjective uncertainty
Bayesian alternation
title Bayesian Alternation During Tactile Augmentation
title_full Bayesian Alternation During Tactile Augmentation
title_fullStr Bayesian Alternation During Tactile Augmentation
title_full_unstemmed Bayesian Alternation During Tactile Augmentation
title_short Bayesian Alternation During Tactile Augmentation
title_sort bayesian alternation during tactile augmentation
topic multimodal integration
vestibular system
Sensory augmentation
tactile stimulation
Subjective uncertainty
Bayesian alternation
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00187/full
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AT serenaplanera bayesianalternationduringtactileaugmentation
AT holgerfinger bayesianalternationduringtactileaugmentation
AT peterkonig bayesianalternationduringtactileaugmentation
AT peterkonig bayesianalternationduringtactileaugmentation