WheelCon: A Wheel Control-Based Gaming Platform for Studying Human Sensorimotor Control
August 15th, 2020
4.5K views
WheelCon is a novel, free and open-source platform to design video games that noninvasively simulates mountain biking down a steep, twisting, bumpy trail. It contains components presenting in human sensorimotor control (delay, quantization, noise, disturbance, and multiple feedback loops) and allows researchers to study the layered architecture in sensorimotor control.
Overview
WheelCon is a free and open-source gaming platform designed to noninvasively simulate mountain biking down a challenging trail. This platform allows researchers to investigate human sensorimotor control by manipulating variables such as delay, quantization, and noise, providing insights into the layered architecture of motor control.
Key Study Components
Area of Science
- Neuroscience
- Sensorimotor Control
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background
- The human sensory motor control system is complex and robust, despite its distributed and noisy nature.
- Understanding the consequences of various causal factors on system performance is essential for advancing research.
- Existing experimental platforms often lack ease of use for manipulating these factors.
Purpose of Study
- To develop an experimental platform that allows manipulation of parameters affecting sensory motor control.
- To enable recording of performance outcomes under varied experimental conditions.
- To facilitate the study of different layers in sensorimotor control, encompassing both higher-level goals and lower-level actions.
Methods Used
- The main platform used is WheelCon, a video game-like environment running on Windows 10.
- Participants engage with a racing wheel interface to explore various conditions including visual and action delays.
- Multiple trials are conducted to assess the influence of delays and quantization on tracking performance.
- Configurations can be altered to observe different types of disturbances and their effects on motor control.
Main Results
- Increased delays led to higher tracking errors among subjects.
- Lower data rates for both visual input and motor output were associated with greater errors in task performance.
- Findings highlight the sensitivity of the motor control system to varying parameters, informing designs for future studies.
Conclusions
- WheelCon demonstrates a versatile tool for studying human sensory motor control in a safe, controlled environment.
- It enables researchers to explore complex interactions between multiple variables affecting motor performance.
- The platform's capability to manipulate and record various factors enhances understanding of motor control mechanisms and potential applications in rehabilitation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the advantages of using WheelCon?
WheelCon provides a flexible and safe environment for studying human sensorimotor control, allowing manipulation of critical parameters and recording of performance outcomes.
How is the main biological model implemented?
Participants operate a racing wheel while engaging in tasks designed to test various delays and quantization effects, mimicking real-world motor control challenges.
What types of outcomes are measured during the experiments?
Outcomes include tracking errors, response times, and the impact of manipulated variables on the performance of motor tasks.
How can the method be adapted for different research needs?
Researchers can customize game parameters and conditions to focus on specific aspects of motor control, allowing for targeted experimental designs.
What are the key limitations of the WheelCon platform?
While WheelCon is versatile, the need for a racing wheel and specific configuration may limit accessibility for some researchers.
Executive Industry Relevance
WheelCon provides a low-cost, flexible platform for probing human sensorimotor control by manipulating feedback loop parameters such as delay, quantization, and disturbance. This enables mechanistic de-risking in target validation by isolating causal variables in sensorimotor pathways. The system supports predictive confidence in preclinical modeling through quantifiable behavioral outputs aligned with computational models.
Strategic Applications in Biopharma R&D
Early Discovery & Target Validation
- Scientific Value: Enables interrogation of therapeutic hypotheses by isolating sensorimotor feedback components.
- Operational Value: Supports biological de-risking through controlled manipulation of neural signaling delays and noise.
- Predictive Value: Facilitates portfolio triage by linking parameter perturbations to measurable performance deficits.
Screening & Assay Development
- Scientific Value: Prepares validated behavioral assays for downstream compound screening in motor function.
- Operational Value: Ensures assay standardization via reproducible input file generation and quantized data rate control.
- Scalability: Enables platform reuse across labs through open-source accessibility and simple hardware requirements.
Translational & Preclinical Research
- Translational Continuity: Connects discovery-layer sensorimotor insights to preclinical validation of neuromodulators.
- Mechanistic De-risking: Clarifies how disturbances in feedback loops affect motor output, informing target engagement strategies.
- Risk-Adjusted Advancement: Supports go/no-go decisions by quantifying performance thresholds under perturbed conditions.
Pipeline & Workflow Integration
WheelCon fits within the discovery continuum from target hypothesis testing to lead optimization in neuromotor therapeutics, enabling iterative refinement based on sensorimotor readouts.
- Discovery Biology: Tests how perturbations in feedback loops affect motor control, supporting pathway clarification.
- Screening: Delivers quantitative outputs like tracking error and steering angle for compound effect comparison.
- Analytics: Generates time-series data on action/visual delay and data rate for statistical modeling of motor performance.
- Translational Research: Aligns with biomarker development by linking manipulated variables to functional outcomes.
- Enterprise Reuse: Functions as a modular capability across neuroscience and rehabilitation teams due to open-source design.
Operational & Enterprise Impact
- Scientific Value: Increases predictive confidence by reducing ambiguity in sensorimotor mechanism attribution.
- Operational Value: Enhances reproducibility through standardized game configurations and file-based input/output.
- Strategic Value: Improves capital efficiency by lowering barriers to sensorimotor assay implementation.
- Portfolio Impact: Enables risk-adjusted prioritization of compounds based on dose-response in perturbed feedback conditions.
Implementation Considerations
- Requires familiarity with MATLAB for input file generation and game parameter customization.
- Depends on compatible force feedback steering wheel and Windows 10 system for full functionality.
- Necessitates cross-team standardization of subject setup and task instruction for reproducible results.
- Involves adaptation considerations when extending beyond mountain bike task to other sensorimotor paradigms.
- Limited by the physical range of motion and ergonomic setup of the steering wheel interface.
Biopharma FAQs
Why does manipulating vision delay matter for target validation?
Manipulating vision delay in WheelCon allows researchers to isolate the contribution of sensory feedback latency to motor control performance. This supports target validation by distinguishing central processing deficits from peripheral sensing issues. Increased tracking error with delayed feedback confirms the role of timely visual input in accurate motor execution.
How does isolating action quantization fit the discovery pipeline?
Isolating action quantization enables testing of motor output granularity, helping to refine hypotheses about neural command precision in early discovery. By varying the data rate of wheel commands, researchers can assess how motor resolution affects tracking accuracy. This fits the discovery pipeline by linking quantized motor output to measurable behavioral deficits under controlled conditions.
What quantitative measurements enable predictive confidence in motor control studies?
WheelCon outputs time, trial position, tracking error, and steering wheel angle, providing quantitative metrics for model comparison. These measurements allow researchers to correlate manipulated variables like delay and data rate with performance outcomes. Such data supports predictive confidence by validating computational models against empirical sensorimotor behavior.
Why do replication requirements matter for cross-functional collaboration?
Replication ensures that observed effects of delay, quantization, or disturbance are consistent across subjects and sessions, building confidence in assay reliability. Standardized input files and output formats enable different labs to reproduce conditions using the same open-source platform. This consistency is essential for cross-functional teams to compare results and advance shared targets in sensorimotor research.
What statistical analysis capabilities are required before implementing WheelCon?
Researchers need the ability to correlate tracking error with manipulated variables such as visual delay, action delay, and data rate using regression or ANOVA models. The platform generates time-stamped outputs suitable for mixed-effects modeling to account for subject variability. These capabilities are necessary to determine whether observed changes in motor performance are statistically significant and reproducible.
