Cette thèse se compose de deux parties, concernant deux études expérimentales sur les mouvements oculaires de poursuite lente d'un stimulus visuel en mouvement (barre inclinée). La première étude aborde l'intégration dynamique de signaux locaux de mouvement visuel provenant de la rétine, tandis que la seconde porte sur l'influence de signaux extra-rétiniens sur l'intégration du mouvement. Un cadre théorique plus général est également proposé, sur la base d'un modèle bayésien récurrent et hiérarchique pour la poursuite lente. Pour la première étude, l'intégration dynamique de mouvement a été analysée en variant le contraste et la vitesse de la barre inclinée. Les résultats montrent que des vitesses plus élevées et des valeurs plus basses de contraste produisent un plus fort biais dans la direction initiale de poursuite et que successivement la dynamique d'intégration de mouvement est plus lente pour les contrastes faibles. Une version en boucle ouverte d'un modèle bayésien est proposée, où un réseau bayésien récurrent est connecté en cascade avec un modèle du système oculomoteur pour générer des réponses de poursuite lente. Les réponses du modèle reproduisent qualitativement les différentes dynamiques observées dans les réponses de poursuite à la barre inclinée en fonction des vitesses et des contrastes différents. La deuxième étude a enquêté sur les interactions dynamiques entre les signaux rétiniens et extra-rétiniens dans l'intégration dynamique de mouvement pour la poursuite lente par le moyen d'une suppression transitoire de la cible à différents moments de la poursuite, et notamment au cours de la phase de boucle ouverte et pendant l'état d'équilibre. / This thesis addresses two studies by studying smooth pursuit eye movements for a translating tilted bar stimulus. First, the dynamic integration of local visual motion signals originating from retina and second, the influence of extra-retinal signals on motion integration. It also proposes a more generalized, hierarchical recurrent bayesian framework for smooth pursuit. The first study involved investigating dynamic motion integration for varying contrasts and speeds using a tilted bar stimuli. Results show that higher speeds and lower contrasts result in higher initial direction bias and subsequent dynamics of motion integration is slower for lower contrasts. It proposes an open-loop version of a recurrent bayesian model where a recurrent bayesian network is cascaded with an oculomotor plant to generate smooth pursuit responses. The model responses qualitatively account for the different dynamics observed in smooth pursuit responses to tilted bar stimulus at different speeds and contrasts. The second study investigated the dynamic interactions between retinal and extra-retinal signals in dynamic motion integration for smooth pursuit by transiently blanking the target at different moments during open-loop and steady-state phases of pursuit. The results suggest that weights to retinal and extra-retinal signals are dynamic in nature and extra-retinal signals dominate retinal signals on target reappearance after a blank introduced during open-loop of pursuit when compared to a blank introduced during steady-state of pursuit. The previous version of the model is updated to a closed-loop version and extended to a hierarchical recurrent bayesian model.

<p>This work explores the possibilities of robust, noise adaptive and automatic segmentation of driver eye movements into comparable quantities as defined in the ISO 15007 and SAE J2396 standards for in-vehicle visual demand measurements. Driver eye movements have many potential applications, from the detection of driver distraction, drowsiness and mental workload, to the optimization of in-vehicle HMIs. This work focuses on SeeingMachines head and eye-tracking system SleepyHead (or FaceLAB), but is applicable to data from other similar eye-tracking systems. A robust and noise adaptive hybrid algorithm, based on two different change detection protocols and facts about eye-physiology, has been developed. The algorithm has been validated against data, video transcribed according to the ISO/SAE standards. This approach was highly successful, revealing correlations in the region of 0.999 between analysis types i.e. video transcription and the analysis developed in this work. Also, a real-time segmentation algorithm, with a unique initialization fefature, has been developed and validated based on the same approach.</p><p>This work enables real-time in-vehicle systems, based on driver eye-movements, to be developed and tested in real driving conditions. Furthermore, it has augmented FaceLAB by providing a tool that can easily be used when analysis of eye movements are of interest e.g. HMI and ergonomics studies, analysis of warnings, driver workload estimation etc.</p>

<p>This thesis explored the development of infants’ ability to preserve spatio-temporal continuity of moving objects in situations where they disappeared completely (Study I & II) or partially (Study III) behind other objects (occluders). We recorded infants gaze direction with the help of two different techniques: 1) infants’ gaze shifts in Study I were measured with electro-oculogram (EOG) in combination with a motion analyzing system (Qualisys) that recorded the reflected infrared light from markers placed on the infant’s head and the moving object; 2) in Studies II and III a cornea reflection eye tracker was used (Tobii 1750) . </p><p>The results presented in this thesis demonstrate that 4-month-old infants are able to represent the temporal aspects of object motion during different periods of complete occlusion (Study I). At 6 months of age infants are able not only to predict the time when a moving object will reappear after complete occlusion but they are also capable to extrapolate pre-occlusion trajectory of the moving object and, thus, to accurately predict its reappearance (Study II). Moreover, in the situation where a linear pre-occlusion trajectory of the moving object is violated (the object turns by 90 degrees behind the occluder), infants at this age are capable of rapidly learning this new experience and base their future gaze shifts over occluder on the newly acquired knowledge. They are also able to preserve this new experience over a 24-hour period. </p><p>In the situations where occlusion is not complete and some visual information is still available (Study III), 9-month-old infants and to a lesser extent 5-month-old infants are able to reconstruct the moving pattern and to follow its direction of motion with the smooth eye movements. Moreover, 9-month-olds are capable to produce such smooth pursuit at an adult-like level.</p>

This thesis explored the development of infants’ ability to preserve spatio-temporal continuity of moving objects in situations where they disappeared completely (Study I &amp; II) or partially (Study III) behind other objects (occluders). We recorded infants gaze direction with the help of two different techniques: 1) infants’ gaze shifts in Study I were measured with electro-oculogram (EOG) in combination with a motion analyzing system (Qualisys) that recorded the reflected infrared light from markers placed on the infant’s head and the moving object; 2) in Studies II and III a cornea reflection eye tracker was used (Tobii 1750) . The results presented in this thesis demonstrate that 4-month-old infants are able to represent the temporal aspects of object motion during different periods of complete occlusion (Study I). At 6 months of age infants are able not only to predict the time when a moving object will reappear after complete occlusion but they are also capable to extrapolate pre-occlusion trajectory of the moving object and, thus, to accurately predict its reappearance (Study II). Moreover, in the situation where a linear pre-occlusion trajectory of the moving object is violated (the object turns by 90 degrees behind the occluder), infants at this age are capable of rapidly learning this new experience and base their future gaze shifts over occluder on the newly acquired knowledge. They are also able to preserve this new experience over a 24-hour period. In the situations where occlusion is not complete and some visual information is still available (Study III), 9-month-old infants and to a lesser extent 5-month-old infants are able to reconstruct the moving pattern and to follow its direction of motion with the smooth eye movements. Moreover, 9-month-olds are capable to produce such smooth pursuit at an adult-like level.

This work explores the possibilities of robust, noise adaptive and automatic segmentation of driver eye movements into comparable quantities as defined in the ISO 15007 and SAE J2396 standards for in-vehicle visual demand measurements. Driver eye movements have many potential applications, from the detection of driver distraction, drowsiness and mental workload, to the optimization of in-vehicle HMIs. This work focuses on SeeingMachines head and eye-tracking system SleepyHead (or FaceLAB), but is applicable to data from other similar eye-tracking systems. A robust and noise adaptive hybrid algorithm, based on two different change detection protocols and facts about eye-physiology, has been developed. The algorithm has been validated against data, video transcribed according to the ISO/SAE standards. This approach was highly successful, revealing correlations in the region of 0.999 between analysis types i.e. video transcription and the analysis developed in this work. Also, a real-time segmentation algorithm, with a unique initialization fefature, has been developed and validated based on the same approach. This work enables real-time in-vehicle systems, based on driver eye-movements, to be developed and tested in real driving conditions. Furthermore, it has augmented FaceLAB by providing a tool that can easily be used when analysis of eye movements are of interest e.g. HMI and ergonomics studies, analysis of warnings, driver workload estimation etc.

To coordinate visual perception and motor control in daily life where we are constantly surrounded by motion, we are dependent on normal visuomotor capacity. One essential prerequisite for normal visuomotor capacity is smooth pursuit eye movements (SP). Infants born very preterm (VPT = born &lt;32 gestational weeks) are at high risk of developing disabilities in higher brain functions i.e. perception, cognition, concentration and coordination. In this thesis visuomotor capacity was investigated in a cohort of VPT infants (n = 113) and compared to control groups of full term (FT) infants. Levels of SP were measured at 2 and 4 months’ corrected age (CA). At 8 months’ CA reaching capacity toward a moving object was evaluated as this represents an executive activity guided by vision that develops at an early age. Lower levels of SP were found in the VPT infants compared to FT controls. The VPT boys showed higher levels of SP compared to the VPT girls. In VPT infants without major neonatal morbidities lower levels of SP was found compared to the FT controls. No difference in total capacity of gaze tracking was found, although the VPT infants lagged the object more at 4 months’ CA and used more saccades at 2 months’ CA. With age the VPT infants’ SP levels increased, but with a wider dispersion compared to the FT controls, and the levels of SP at 4 months’ CA corresponded to the levels of the FT infants at 2 months.  A number of perinatal risk factors were found to be negatively associated to lower levels of SP, and this effect was more pronounced in VPT infants with multiple risk factors,.  When evaluating the capacity to reach a moving object at 8 months’ CA, the VPT infants showed significantly more bimanual reach and more curved reaching paths to catch the object as compared to the FT control group. In conclusion, a delayed visuomotor capacity was found in VPT infants compared to FT control infants at 2, 4 and 8 months’ CA. Some VPT infants with perinatal risk factors did not develop in levels of SP between 2 and 4 months’ CA.

La poursuite est un mouvement oculaire qui permet de suivre un objet qui se déplace de manière lente et continue dans notre environnement. Les recherches ont démontré que ce mouvement est sous-tendu par la contribution simultanée de signaux liés à l'image de la cible et du contexte visuel sur la rétine, de signaux extra rétiniens reflétant l'implication de mécanismes cognitifs et de la copie d'efférence, ainsi que de la mise en jeu de processus d'inhibition et de suppression de certains signaux liés au contexte visuel. Cette combinaison dynamique permet au système de s'adapter et de maintenir le mouvement de poursuite dans une grande variété de contextes. Si la présence et la sélection d'un signal de mouvement dans l'environnement est considérée comme une condition sine qua none au déclenchement et au maintien de la poursuite, certaines observations depuis les années 70 nuancent ce postulat. Afin d'approfondir la compréhension des mécanismes sous-jacent au maintien de la poursuite après disparition du signal de mouvement et de questionner la nature des signaux sensoriels conduisant à la génération de poursuite, mon travail de thèse a porté sur l'étude de l'influence de deux contextes spécifiques. Ces deux contextes, l'un visuel l'autre auditif, partagent la propriété d'être corrélés au mouvement oculaire généré par l'individu. De fait, ces contextes fournissent un signal nouveau porteur d'une information sur le mouvement en cours. Dans différentes configurations de visibilité de la cible, nous avons étudiés l'influence de ces contextes sur le maintien de la poursuite, et sur la génération volontaire de mouvements oculaires lisses et continus. / Pursuit eye movements allow us to track a target which moves continuously and slowly in our visual environment. Studies have shown this movement is based on the simultaneous contribution of retinal signals linked to the retinal image of the visual target and to the context, on extra retinal signals underlying cognitive process and the efference copy, and some inhibition and suppression processes related to the visual context. This dynamical combination allows the pursuit system to adapt in a wide range of contexts. If the presence of a motion signal in the visual environment is thought as a prerequisite to initiate and then to maintain the pursuit, some results since the 70’s moderate this view. In order to investigate the mechanisms underlying the maintenance of pursuit eye movements after target disappearance and the nature of signals leading to generate pursuit, we investigate the effects of two different contexts. These contexts, a visual one, and an auditory one, share the same property which is to be dependent on eye movements. As a result of this dependence, the contexts yield a new signal, visual or auditory, which carry an information about the ongoing eye movement. We study the effects of these information induced by the contexts in procedure involving the generation and the maintenance of smooth pursuit eye movements, and the generation of smooth and continuous eye movements without a moving target.

No description available.

Un défi majeur pour les organismes vivants est leur capacité d’adapter constamment leurs comportements moteurs. Dans la première étude de cette thèse, nous avons étudié le rôle des régularités statistiques et du conditionnement opérant sur la poursuite lisse d’anticipation (PLA). Nous avons démontré que la PLA est générée de manière cohérente avec la probabilité du mouvement attendu. De plus, nous avons montré pour la première fois que la PLA peut être modulée par les contingences de renforcement.Dans une seconde étude, nous avons créé un paradigme de poursuite, inspiré par l’Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), impliquant un choix entre deux cibles associées à différentes récompenses. Nous avons testé ce paradigme chez des patients Parkinson (PP), ainsi que des contrôles âgés ou jeunes. Seulement chez les participants jeunes, la latence du choix oculomoteur est fortement réduite quand celui-ci est associé à une règle de renforcement. Pour les PP le choix est fortement retardé dans toutes les conditions et cet effet n’est pas simplement attribuable à un déficit moteur. Autrement, la stratégie de choix s’avère de mauvaise qualité dans tous les groupes suggérant des différences avec les résultats de l’IGT classique.La dernière contribution de cette thèse fut de modéliser l’effet du biais directionnel sur la PLA que nous avons observé dans la première étude. Nous avons testé deux modèles incluant une mémoire de type intégrateur à fuite de la séquence d’essais, ou l’estimation Bayesienne adaptative de la taille optimale de mémoire. Nos résultats suggèrent que les modèles adaptatifs pourraient contribuer dans le futur à mieux comprendre l’apprentissage statistique et par renforcement. / One of the main challenges for living organisms is the ability to constantly adapt their motor behavior. In the first study of this thesis, we investigated the role of statistical regularities and operant conditioning on anticipatory smooth eye movements (aSPEM), in a large set of healthy participants. We provided evidence that aSPEM are generated coherently with the expected probability of motion direction. Furthermore, by manipulating reinforcement contingencies our findings demonstrated for the first time that aSPEM can be considered an operant behavior. In a second study, we designed a novel two-targets choice-tracking task, where a choice-contingent reward was returned, inspired by Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). We administered this new paradigm to Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients as well as age-matched control participants and young adult controls. For young participants, choice latency was clearly shortened in the IGT-pursuit task compared to the control-task. For PD patients choice latency was overall delayed and this difference could not be attributed to pure motor deficits. Overall the choice strategy performance was poor in all groups suggesting some possible differences between the standard IGT task and our IGT-pursuit task in probing decision-making. The last contribution of this thesis is an attempt to model the relation between aSPEM velocity and local direction-bias. Two models were tested to account for the trial-sequence effects, including either a decaying memory, or a Bayesian adaptive estimation of the efficient memory size. Our results suggest that adaptive models could be used in the future to better assess statistical and reinforcement learning.

Darbe pateiki žvilgsnio ir rankos(sekant vienu metu) taškinio taikinio sekimo parametrai, taikiniui judant (5 10 20 laipnsių per sekundę greičiu). Pateikti gauti sekimo parametrai: paklaidų standartinis nuokrypis, paklaidų standartinis nuokrypis po vėlinimo, vėlinimo laikas. Palyginimui pateikiami sekimo tik žvilgsniu parametrai. / In this work gaze and hand(working together) smooth pursuit target-dot, target-dot mowed by three velocities (5 10 20 degree/second). Obtained the smooth pursuit parameters: errors standart deviation, errors standart deviation after eliminated latency, latency time. For comparison the smooth pursuit was perform only gaze.