Multifactorial interactions involved in linear self-transport distance estimate: a place for time.

As the vestibular system is the only sensory organ whose primary function is self-motion detection, we examined the conditions under which the otoliths, which detect the linear acceleration of the head, could be used to estimate traveled distance. In order to isolate the contribution of the otoliths (with the somatosensory system) from contributions of the visual and motor systems subjects were transported in darkness. We initially hypothesized that self-transport with continuously varying linear velocity should facilitate distance computation by continuously stimulating the otoliths, and that active control of self-motion should also help subjects estimate the distance traveled. However, it was found that the distance covered during self-motion is actually better estimated when transport velocity is quasi-constant. Nevertheless, such estimates strongly depend upon velocity magnitude; subjects show an idiosyncratic preferred self-motion velocity for which distance measurements are most accurate. Furthermore, the active control of self-transport improves estimates of self-motion mainly because the subjects can then adopt a constant velocity, and more precisely their preferred one. It was finally found that subjects mentally count in order to assess their displacement length, and that time perception is indeed disturbed by varying self-motion velocity. Copyright 2004 Elsevier B.V.