Abstract
Most studies in the navigation domain concern displacements performed over simple surfaces during which only yaw rotations have to be integrated. First, we compared the perception of pitch and yaw turns dissociating dynamic and static cues. We found a great difference that was explained in terms of a distinct contribution of visual and inertial information. Then we studied human cognitive and sensory functions for self-motion inside of 3D-structured environments, and for displacements including all spatial rotations. Experimental results were consistent with the working hypothesis about human aptitude to solve 3D spatial problems. On one hand, our capacities are adapted to natural navigation, and on the other hand spatial processing of more complex structures is possible with a natural displacement although it is more difficult than for a 2D structure. In fact, brain processing of the environments vertical information presented distinct characteristics than the one in horizontal planes. Finally, considerations on reference frames involved in 3D memory suggested a preference for displacements rotations that are consistent with body axis rather than with gravity axis.
