No abstract

Detecting a looming object and its imminent collision is imperative to survival. For most humans, it is a fundamental aspect of daily activities such as driving, road crossing and participating in sport, yet little is known about how the brain both detects and responds to such stimuli. Here we use functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess neural response to looming stimuli in comparison with receding stimuli and motion-controlled static stimuli. We demonstrate for the first time that, in the human, the superior colliculus and the pulvinar nucleus of the thalamus respond to looming in addition to cortical regions associated with motor preparation. We also implicate the anterior insula in making timing computations for collision events.

Rapid advances in technology for highly automated vehicles (HAVs) have raised concerns about coexistence of HAVs and human road users. Although there is a long tradition of research into human road user interactions, there is a lack of shared models and terminology to support cross-disciplinary research and development towards safe and acceptable interaction-capable HAVs. Here, we review the main themes and findings in previous theoretical and empirical interaction research, and find large variability in perspectives and terminologies. We unify these perspectives in a structured, cross-theoretical conceptual framework, describing what road traffic interactions are, how they arise, and how they get resolved. Two key contributions are: (1) a stringent definition of "interaction", as "a situation where the behaviour of at least two road users can be interpreted as being influenced by the possibility that they are both intending to occupy the same region of space at the same time in the near future", and (2) a taxonomy of the types of behaviours that road users exhibit in interactions. We hope that this conceptual framework will be useful in the development of improved empirical methodology, theoretical models, and technical requirements on vehicle automation. Relevance to human factors/Relevance to ergonomics theory Smooth interactions with other road users-human or automated-is central to human safety, efficiency and satisfaction in road traffic. This paper ties together previously disparate theoretical and empirical work on road traffic interactions into a single conceptual theoretical framework.

The aim of this study was to reveal cortical areas that may contribute to the movement difficulties seen in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Specifically, we hypothesized that there may be a deficit in the mirror neuron system (MNS), a neural system that responds to both performed and observed actions. Using functional MRI, 14 boys with DCD (x = 10.08 years ± 1.31, range = 7.83 -11.58 years) and 12 typically developing controls (x = 10.10 years ± 1.15, range = 8.33 -12 years) were scanned observing, executing and imitating a finger sequencing task using their right hand. Cortical activations of mirror neuron regions, including posterior inferior frontal gyrus, ventral premotor cortex, anterior inferior parietal lobule and superior temporal sulcus were examined. Children with DCD had decreased cortical activation mirror neuron related regions, including the precentral gyrus and inferior frontal gyrus, as well as in the posterior cingulate and precuneus complex when observing the sequencing task. Region of interest analysis revealed lower activation in the pars opercularis, a primary MNS region, during imitation in the DCD group compared to controls. These findings provide some preliminary evidence to support a possible MNS dysfunction in children with DCD.

This study examined brain activation in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) to reveal areas that may contribute to poor movement execution and/or abundant motor overflow. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), 13 boys with DCD (mean age = 9.6yrs ± 0.8) and 13 typically developing controls (mean age = 9.3yrs ± 0.6) were scanned performing two tasks (finger sequencing and hand clenching) with their dominant hand, while a four-finger motion sensor recorded contralateral motor overflow on their nondominant hand. Despite displaying increased motor overflow on both functional tasks during scanning, there were no obvious activation deficits in the DCD group to explain the abundant motor overflow seen. However, children with DCD were found to display decreased activation in the left superior frontal gyrus on the finger 2 sequencing task, an area which plays an integral role in executive and spatially oriented processing. Decreased activation was also seen in the left inferior frontal gyrus, an area typically active during the observation and imitation of hand movements. Finally, increased activation in the right postcentral gyrus was seen in children with DCD, which may reflect increased reliance on somatosensory information during the execution of complex fine motor tasks.