Behavioral risk models explain locomotor and balance changes when walking at virtual heights: Experiment 1 Data

Experiment 1 used a rectangular walkway that was 1.22 m wide, 2.44 m long, and 1.90 cm high (Figure 2). The virtual walkway was matched to a physical walkway (height: 1.90 cm) in the laboratory to provide proprioceptive feedback of the walkway edge. During the walking task, two different virtual conditions were presented to the participants in a randomized order: a high walkway (15 meters in the air) and a low walkway (ground level) height. In the Low height condition, the plank was virtually presented at ground level. In the High height condition, the plank was virtually elevated 15 m above the ground.
The primary outcome measure for Experiment 1 was lateral motion, or movement along the width of the walkway. Lateral deviation represents compensatory, unnecessary motion that is orthogonal to the explicit goal of walking the length of the walkway and away from the optimal shorter path to the desired destination. The lateral deviation was measured from the outer edge of the physical walkway to the outer foot’s lateral edge after each trial.