Optimization of postural control in precise gaze shifts and laser pointing.

Young adults are known to reduce their postural sway to perform precise visual search and laser pointing tasks. We tested if young adults could reduce even more postural and/or center of pressure sway to succeed in both tasks simultaneously. The methodology is novel because published pointing tasks usually require continuously looking at the pointed target and not exploring an image while pointing elsewhere at the same time.

In the upright stance, posture is better controlled to perform precise visual tasks than laser pointing tasks.

Purpose: In the upright stance, young adults better stabilize their posture when they perform precise visual or pointing movements than when they stand quietly. We tested if postural stability could be improved further if precise and pointing tasks were combined.

Method: Twenty-four healthy young adults (22 ± 12 years) performed six tasks combining three visual tasks (precise search, unprecise free-viewing and fixation tasks) and two pointing tasks (pointing-on and pointing-off tasks with laser beam on and off, respectively).