The Effect of Attention Load on Balance Control Performance

Abstract

Posture balance control is an essential ability that is affected by the attention load. We investigated the effect of attention load on posture balance control experimentally and computationally. Fifteen young individuals participated in an experiment containing simultaneous performing of a balance control task and an auditory task. A previous computational model was extended by introducing the effect of attention load as a gain in a Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller. Results demonstrated that the sensitivity of the posture balance control to the attention load should be considered besides other influential factors in designing sport or physical rehabilitation exercises. Simulations suggested that the issues of joint impedance stiffness or viscosity might also be compensated by changing the attention load.