Directional virtual time-to-contact: A new measure for investigating temporal, spatial, and control aspects of postural balance control

Abstract

Virtual time-to-contact (VTC) is a promising approach for investigating postural balance control. However, current VTC calculation approaches are limited as they (1) cannot be used to evaluate directional components of balance, and (2) only assess a single, temporal aspect of balance control. This study introduces a new approach for VTC calculation, namely directional VTC, expanding VTC to assess temporal, spatial, and control aspects of balance. Three case studies were conducted across varying populations and conditions as a proof-of-concept of the presented method. The first study examined quiet stance on a firm surface in people with Parkinson's disease (PD; n = 10) in comparison to their healthy peers (n = 10). The second and third studies assessed balance control of healthy individuals under challenging environments. Ten healthy individuals participated in standing tasks on compliant ground surfaces, while another ten on oscillatory ground surfaces, all simulated by a dual-axis robotic platform. Preliminary results not only provided a closer look at balance control with multiple aspects, including temporal, spatial, and control aspects, but also showed how different aspects of balance changed due to neurological diseases (Case Study I) or challenging standing grounds (Case Studies II and III). This study advances our understanding of posture biomechanics and its clinical applications.

Keywords: Balance stability; Biomechanics; Postural balance; Postural stability; Standing balance.