Event Calendar:
Contact
Dr. Tobias Meilinger |
| Address: | Spemannstr. 44 72076 Tübingen |
| Room number: | 1.VR.02 |
| Fax: | +49 7071 601 616 |
| E-Mail: |  tobias.meilinger |
I am interested in how we navigate through everyday environments: how we represent, combine and use experienced views, movement trajectories, maps, and descriptions. My approach uses behavioural experiments in real and virtual environments supplemented by formal description methods of space, functional neuroimaging and cognitive modeling.
Survey knowledge for environmental spaces
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How do we represent cities or buildings - by multiple local reference frames as we experienced them or by a single global reference frame, a “cognitive map”? The survey task of pointing to distant locations within ones city of residence relies on a single, north oriented reference frame – probably acquired from a map. However, if the knowledge was acquired from navigation pointing is based rather on multiple local reference frames (e.g., corresponding to a street or a room). In the further course of the project we examine the following questions: How do humans integrate the multiple views experienced during navigation within one single reference frame? How is information from navigation, maps, and building structure combined? What is the neural basis for these processes? |
Publications:
- Frankenstein, J., Mohler, B.J., Bülthoff, H.H. & Meilinger, T. (in press). Is the Map in Our Head Oriented North? Psychological Science.
- Meilinger, T., Wiener, J.M., & Berthoz, A. (2011). The integration of spatial information across different perspectives. Memory & Cognition, 39, 1042-1054.
- Meilinger, T. & Bülthoff, H.H. (2010). The Direction Bias and the Incremental Construction of Survey Knowledge. 32nd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
Cooperation partners:
J. Wiener, A. Berthoz, J. Frankenstein, B.E. Riecke, B.J. Mohler, T. Wolbers, R. Conroy Dalton, C. Hölscher, S. Büchner, H.A. Mallot, H.H. Bülthoff
Funding:
- DFG project “Where is my goal? The functional, computational and neural basis of human survey knowledge” (principal investigator: T. Meilinger)
- Max Planck Society
- EU project “Wayfinding”
Language and sensorimotor codes for route memory
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How do we represent routes? Our results indicate that route knowledge acquired from navigation and from maps is not only encoded spatially, but also in a verbal code, e.g. as route directions. The usefulness of verbal encoding, however, seems to depend on already established long-term associations between corresponding verbal and spatial elements, e.g., the label "T-intersection" and a spatial representation of a T-intersection |
Publications:
- Meilinger, T., Knauff, M., & Bülthoff, H. H. (2008). Working memory in wayfinding - a dual task experiment in a virtual city. Cognitive Science, 32, 755-770.
Cooperation partners:
H.A. Mallot, M. Knauff, G. Hardiess, H.H. Bülthoff
Funding:
- DFG project “Mapspace” (SFB/TR8 Spatial Cognition)
- EU project “Wayfinding”
- Max Planck Society
Theoretical foundations of spatial cognition
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This research is concerned with conceptions of how space can be represented and processed theoretically and in the light of current empirical data. We argue that simple egocentric and allocentric conceptions are not sufficient to capture complex situations and suggest combining them into complex representations. I also propose a theory for self-localisation, route- and survey navigation in environmental spaces. This work is meant to provide a larger overview of the area of spatial cognition, contrast it with non-spatial domains, and serve future experimentation. |
Publications:
- Vosgerau, G. Knoll, A., Meilinger, T. & Vogeley, K. (in press). Representation. In A. Stephan & S. Walter (Eds.), Handbuch Kognitionswissenschaft. Stuttgart: Metzler
- Meilinger, T. & Vosgerau, G. (2010) Putting Egocentric and Allocentric into Perspective. In C. Hölscher, C., T. F. Shipley, M. Olivetti Belardinelli, J. A. Bateman, N. S. Newcombe (Eds.), Spatial Cognition VII, LNAI 6222 (pp. 207-211). Berlin: Springer.
Cooperation partners:
Funding:
- Max Planck Society
- DFG project “Where is my goal? The functional, computational and neural basis of human survey knowledge” (principal investigator: T. Meilinger)
Strategies and aids for wayfinding in complex buildings
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The way we navigate towards a location in a complex building depends on various factors. Visitors highly familiar with a building directly approach a goal region first, while unfamiliar navigators more often stick to highly visible or already known routes. Both groups adjust their strategies towards task requirements. In novel buildings navigators profit more from signs and qualitative route maps than from precise floor plans and cross sections. Combining signs and maps further improves performance. While wayfinding-aids ease navigation, they seem to slow down the acquisition of building knowledge. |
Publications
- Hölscher, C., Büchner, S. J., Meilinger, T., & Strube, G. (in press). Adaptivity of wayfinding strategies in a multi-building ensemble - the effects of spatial structure, task requirements and metric information. Journal of Environmental Psychology.
- Meilinger, T., Hölscher, C., Büchner, S. J., & Brösamle, M. (2006). How Much Information Do You Need? Schematic Maps in Wayfinding and Self Localisation. International Conference Spatial Cognition 2006 (pp. 381–400).
- Hölscher, C., Meilinger, T., Vrachliotis, G., Brösamle, M., & Knauff, M. (2006). Up the down staircase: next term Wayfinding strategies in multi-level buildings. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 26, 284–299.
Cooperation partners:
C. Hölscher, S. Büchner, M. Brösamle, G. Strube
Funding:
- DFG project “Mapspace” (SFB/TR8 Spatial Cognition)
- DFG project “SpaceGuide” (SFB/TR8 Spatial Cognition)
- Max Planck Society
The geometric structure of environmental spaces
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Several studies indicate that the geometric layout of a visible surrounding is processed somewhat differently compared to feature or landmark information. I am interested in whether this also extends to environmental spaces such as cities or buildings. Our first results show that the geometric layout of intersections as described by isovist parameters is reflected in route memory and wayfinding performance. In the further course of this project we want to examine what exactly is represented of a layout and how these representations relate to each other. |
Publications
Cooperation partners:
G. Franz, R. Conroy Dalton, H.H. Bülthoff
Funding:
- Max Planck Society
- DFG project “Mapspace” (SFB/TR8 Spatial Cognition)
Situational adaptation of spatial memory
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Long-term-memories of local environments and maps are oriented. Do we adjust these orientations spontaneously during everyday navigation – even this is not required for solving a tasks? Our results suggest that the answer is yes. During route planning we seem to change the encoded orientation of a local environment towards the orientation of the route crossing this location. This might ease the recognition of such a location during subsequent navigation. Maps of a nearby, but not visible city area are drawn from the perspective the drawer has on this area. Although the underlying knowledge likely was acquired from north-oriented maps, it was adjusted towards the current location of the navigator. |
Cooperation partners:
J.-P. Bresciani, K. Basten, J. Frankenstein, H.A. Mallot
Funding:
- Max Planck Society
- University of Tübingen
Further research
Additional research interests which are currently developed encompass 3D updating (together with M. Barnett-Cowan and M. Vidal), spatial priming (together with J. Wiener) and new measurement tools for spatial ability (together with A. Postma and I. van der Ham). I am also cooperating with the project SpaceGuide at the University of Freiburg (principal investigators: C. Hölscher, G. Strube and W. Burgard) and the feelSpace project at the University of Osnabrück (principal investigator: P. König). In former projects at the University of Würzburg I examined the influence of passengers on accidental risk (together with M. Vollrath and H.-P. Krüger), the influence of roadside vegetation on traffic safety, and the usability of menu systems (together with I. Totzke and H.-P. Krüger).
Integrating spatial information about cities and buildings
Tobias Meilinger & Heinrich H. Bülthoff
Introduction & Goals
Navigators have to move around and integrate information from different views in order to perceive environmental spaces, i.e. cities or buildings. Alternatively, spatial relations are learned from a map. We examine how environmental spaces are memorized, how acquired pieces of information are combined, and identify corresponding brain processes.
Methods
We conduct experiments in virtual environments e.g., learned by walking on an omni-directional treadmill ([3] see Figure 1) or in daily life [1] and record brain activity with fMRI [4]. Participants are teleported to previously encountered locations in the environment and point to other distant locations within this environment. Pointing requires integrating multiple pieces of information. By comparing pointing or navigating in different body orientations we can identify reference frame orientation of the underlying neural and mental representations [1, 2, 4]. Order effects indicate directional asymmetries in memory and give hints about the underlying integration processes [2, 3, 5].
Results
Pointing to locations within ones city of residence relies on a single north-oriented reference frame likely learned from maps [1]. Without maps available navigators primarily memorize a novel space as local interconnected reference frames corresponding to a corridor or street [3, 5]. Consistent with these results, entorhinal grid cells in humans quickly remap their grid orientation after changing the surrounding environment [4]. Participants do not automatically integrate spatial information during learning, but preferably do so when retrieving spatial memory to solve a task [5] within the reference frame this task is conducted [2].
Conclusions and Outlook
Spatial knowledge acquired by navigation is usually memorized within multiple local units. Most navigators integrate these units not until required to do to so within an incremental process. We are currently testing whether this integration process is continuous as when mentally travelling along a route or this process is piecewise as when adding pieces to a mental model of the environment one after the other. With multiple sources of information available navigators flexibly combine navigation-based and map-based knowledge.
Figure 1: An aerial snapshot of a virtual city (left) participants explored by walking on the omnidirectional treadmill (right). The egocentric view is displayed on a head mounted display and for illustration also on the screen in the back.
References
- Frankenstein J, Mohler BJ, Bülthoff HH and Meilinger T (in press) Is the map in our head oriented north? Psychological Science.
- Meilinger T, Berthoz A and Wiener JM (2011) The integration of spatial information across different viewpoints Memory & Cognition 39 1042-1054.
- Meilinger T and Bülthoff HH (2010) The direction bias and the incremental construction of survey knowledge 32nd Conf. of the Cog. Sci. Society. 2500-2505.
- Pape A-A, Wolbers T, Schulze J, Bülthoff HH. and Meilinger T (2011). Grid cell remapping in humans 2011 Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience.
- Henson A, Mallot HA, Bülthoff HH and Meilinger T (2011) When do we integrate spatial information acquired by walking through environmental spaces? 33rd Conf. of the Cog. Sci. Society 2764-2769.
Articles (10): | |
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Barnett-Cowan M  , Meilinger T , Vidal M , Teufel H and Bülthoff HH (May-2012) MPI CyberMotion Simulator: Implementation of a Novel Motion Simulator to Investigate Multisensory Path Integration in Three Dimensions
Journal of Visualized Experiments 63(5) 1-6. 
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Frankenstein J , Mohler BJ , Bülthoff HH and Meilinger T (February-2012) Is the Map in Our Head Oriented North?
Psychological Science 23(2) 120-125.
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Meilinger T , Franz G and Bülthoff HH (January-2012) From Isovists via Mental Representations to Behaviour: First Steps Toward Closing the Causal Chain
Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design 39(1) 48-62.
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Meilinger T , Wiener JM and (August-2011) The integration of spatial information across different viewpoints
Memory & Cognition 39(6) 1042-1054.
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, , Meilinger T , , and (July-2010) Spatial and temporal aspects of navigation in two neurological patients
NeuroReport 21(10) 685-689.
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, , Meilinger T and (June-2009) Adaptivity of wayfinding strategies in a multi-building ensemble: The effects of spatial structure, task requirements, and metric information
Journal of Environmental Psychology 29(2) 208-219.
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Meilinger T and Knauff M (December-2008) Ask for Directions or Use a Map: a Field Experiment on Spatial Orientation and Wayfinding in an Urban Environment
Journal of Spatial Science 53(2) 13-23.
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Meilinger T , Knauff M and Bülthoff HH (June-2008) Working memory in wayfinding: a dual task experiment in a virtual city
Cognitive Science 32(4) 755-770.
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, Meilinger T , , and Knauff M (December-2006) Up the down staircase: next term Wayfinding strategies in multi-level buildings
Journal of Environmental Psychology 26(4) 284-299.
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, Meilinger T and (September-2002) How the presence of passengers influences the risk of a collision with another vehicle
Accident Analysis and Prevention 34(5) 649-654.
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Conference papers (18): | |
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Henson A , Mallot HA , Bülthoff HH and Meilinger T (July-2011) When do we integrate spatial information acquired by walking through environmental spaces?
In: Expanding the Space of Cognitive Science, 33rd Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society (CogSci 2011), Cognitive Science Society, Austin, TX, USA, 2764-2769.
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Meilinger T and Vosgerau G (August-2010) Putting Egocentric and Allocentric into Perspective
In: Spatial Cognition VII, International Conference Spatial Cognition (SC 2010), Springer, Berlin, Germany, 207-221.
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Meilinger T and Bülthoff HH (August-2010) The Direction Bias and the Incremental Construction of Survey Knowledge
32nd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (CogSci 2010), Cognitive Science Society, Austin, TX, USA, 2500-2505.
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Frankenstein J , Meilinger T , Mohler BJ and Bülthoff HH (August-2009) Spatial Memory for Highly Familiar Environments
31st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (CogSci 2009), Curran, Red Hook, NY, USA, 2650-2655.
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Meilinger T (September-2008) The Network of Reference Frames Theory: A Synthesis of Graphs and Cognitive Maps
In: Spatial Cognition VI: Learning, Reasoning, and Talking about Space, International Conference Spatial Cognition 2008, Springer, Berlin, Germany, 344-360.
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Bülthoff HH , Campos JL and Meilinger T (September-2008) Virtual Reality as a Valuable Research Tool for Investigating Different Aspects of Spatial Cognition
In: Spatial Cognition VI: Learning, Reasoning, and Talking about Space, International Conference Spatial Cognition 2008, Springer, Berlin, Germany, 1-3.
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Wiener JM , Meilinger T and (July-2008) The Integration of Spatial Information across Different Perspectives
30th Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (CogSci 2008), Curran, Red Hook, NY, USA, 2031-2036.
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Meilinger T , , and (November-2007) How Much Information Do You Need?: Schematic Maps in Wayfinding and Self Localisation
In: Spatial Cognition V: Reasoning, Action, Interaction, International Conference on Spatial Cognition 2006, Springer, Berlin, Germany, 381-400.
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, , Meilinger T and (November-2007) Map Use and Wayfinding Strategies in a Multi-Building Ensemble
In: Spatial Cognition V: Reasoning, Action, Interaction, International Conference on Spatial Cognition 2006, Springer, Berlin, Germany, 365-380.
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Meilinger T , Franz G and Bülthoff HH (September-2007) From Isovists via Mental Representations to Behaviour: First Steps Toward Closing the Causal Chain
Space Syntax and Spatial Cognition Workshop (Spatial Cognition '06), Universität Bremen, Bremen, Germany, 65-80.
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Meilinger T , Riecke BE and Bülthoff HH (August-2007) Orientation Specificity in Long-Term-Memory for Environmental Spaces
29th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (CogSci 2007), Curran, Red Hook, NY, USA, 479-484.
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, , , Meilinger T and (August-2007) Signs and Maps: Cognitive Economy in the Use of External Aids for Indoor Navigation
29th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (CogSci 2007), Curran, Red Hook, NY, USA, 377-382.
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Meilinger T , Knauff M and Bülthoff HH (July-2006) Working memory in wayfinding: a dual task experiment in a virtual city
28th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (CogSci 2006), Curran, Red Hook, NY, USA, 585-590.
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, Meilinger T and (September-2005) Adaptivität und Adaptierbarkeit von menügesteuerten Informationssystemen - Kein Ansatz zur Lösung des Problems der Erlernbarkeit?!
In: Zustandserkennung und Systemgestaltung. 6. Berliner Werkstatt Mensch-Maschine-Systeme, Zustandserkennung und Systemgestaltung., VDI-Verlag, Düsseldorf, 35-40.
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Meilinger T (July-2005) Wayfinding with Maps and Verbal Directions
XXVII Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (CogSci 2005), Cognitive Science Society, 1473-1478.
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, Meilinger T , and Knauff M (June-2005) The Floor Strategy: Wayfinding Cognition in a Multi-Level Building
5th International Space Syntax Symposium, Techne Press, Delft, Netherlands, 823-829.
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, Meilinger T , , and Knauff M (February-2005) Finding the Way Inside: Linking Architectural Design Analysis and Cognitive Processes
In: Spatial Cognition IV: Reasoning, Action, Interaction, International Conference Spatial Cognition 2004 (SC '04), Springer, Berlin, Germany, 1-23.
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, Meilinger T and (2003) Erlernbarkeit von Menüsystemen im Fahrzeug - mehr als "nur" eine Lernkurve
Der Fahrer im 21. Jahrhundert, VDI-Berichte 1768 (S.171-195).
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Technical reports (2): | |
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Meilinger T , Riecke BE , Berger D and Bülthoff HH : A novel immersive virtual environment setup for behavioural experiments in humans, tested on spatial memory for environmental spaces, 158, Max-Planck-Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany, (March-2007).
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, , , Meilinger T , and : Kompetenzerwerb für Informationssysteme - Einfluss des Lernprozesses auf die Interaktion mit Fahrerinformationssystemen. Veröffentlichter Abschlussbericht (Förderkennzeichen BaSt FE 82.196/2001)., Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Verkehrswissenschaften (IZVW), Würzburg, (2004).
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Posters (22): | |
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Pape A-A , , Schultz J , Bülthoff HH and Meilinger T (November-2011): Grid cell remapping in humans, 41st Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience (Neuroscience 2011), Washington, DC, USA.
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Pape A-A , , Schultz J , Bülthoff HH and Meilinger T (October-2011): Grid cell remapping in humans, 12th Conference of Junior Neuroscientists of Tübingen (NeNA 2011), Heiligkreuztal, Germany.
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Barnett-Cowan M , Meilinger T , Vidal M and Bülthoff HH (August-2010): Path integration in the third dimension, XXVI Bárány Society Meeting, Reykjavik, Iceland, Journal of Vestibular Research, 20(3-4) 282.
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Meilinger T , Souman JL and Bülthoff HH (March-2010): Asymmetrien und die Konstruktion von Überblickswissen, 52. Tagung Experimentell Arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP 2010), Saarbrücken, Germany, Experimentelle Psychologie, 52 16.
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Meilinger T , Frankenstein J , Holzer S and Brescani J-P (September-2009): The situational influence of location and body orientation on the recall of survey knowledge, 4th International Conference on Spatial Cognition (ICSC 2009), Roma, Italy, Cognitive Processes, 10(Supplement 2) S169.
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Frankenstein J , Mohler B , Bülthoff HH and Meilinger T (August-2009): Distance and alignment effects in survey knowledge of a highly familiar city, 32nd European Conference on Visual Perception, Regensburg, Germany, Perception, 38(ECVP Abstract Supplement) 63.
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Meilinger T , Schulte-Pelkum J , Frankenstein J , Laharnar N , , Mallot HA and Bülthoff HH (August-2009): Place naming: examining the influence of language on wayfinding, 31st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (CogSci 2009), Amsterdam, Netherlands.
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Meilinger T , Frankenstein J , Holzer S and (August-2009): The influence of the current situation on the recall of survey knowledge: the case of location and body orientation, 32nd European Conference on Visual Perception, Regensburg, Germany, Perception, 38(ECVP Abstract Supplement) 66.
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Meilinger T and Vosgerau G (October-2008): Conceptions of Space: an Interdisciplinary Exchange, 9. Fachtagung der Gesellschaft für Kognitionswissenschaft (KogWis '08), Dresden, Germany. |
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Meilinger T (October-2008): Human orientation in Space: Distinguishing spaces, memory systems, and reference frames, 9. Fachtagung der Gesellschaft für Kognitionswissenschaft (KogWis '08), Dresden, Germany. |
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Meilinger T , Schulte-Pelkum J , Laharnar N , Teramoto W , Frankenstein J and Bülthoff HH (October-2008): Orientation biases in memory for vista and environmental spaces, 9. Fachtagung der Gesellschaft für Kognitionswissenschaft (KogWis '08), Dresden, Germany. |
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Wiener JM , Meilinger T and (October-2008): The integration of spatial information across different perspectives, 9. Fachtagung der Gesellschaft für Kognitionswissenschaft (KogWis '08), Dresden, Germany. |
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Meilinger T , Riecke BE , Laharnar N and Bülthoff HH (July-2007): Long-Term Memory for Environmental Spaces: the Case of Orientation Specificity, 10th Tübinger Wahrnehmungskonferenz (TWK 2007), Tübingen, Germany.
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Meilinger T , , , , and (March-2007): Wie viel Information brauchen wir? Selbstlokalisation und Wege finden mit schematisierten Karten, 49. Tagung Experimentell Arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP 2007), Trier, Germany, Experimentelle Psychologie, 49 234.
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Meilinger T (June-2006): Orientation with maps: memory systems, memory content and strategies, 29th Annual German Conference on Artificial Intelligence (KI 2006), Bremen, Germany.
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Meilinger T , Widinger A , Knauff M and Bülthoff HH (March-2006): Verbal, Visual and Spatial Memory in Wayfinding, 9th Tübingen Perception Conference (TWK 2006), Tübingen, Germany.
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, and Meilinger T (March-2006): Wie komm ich da jetzt hin?: Der Einfluss von Navigationshilfen und Strategiewahl auf das Bewegungsverhalten in einem komplexen Gebäude, 48. Tagung Experimentell Arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP 2006), Mainz, Germany, Experimentelle Psychologie, 48.
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, Meilinger T , and (September-2005): Maps, Room Numbers and Wayfinding Strategies: Investigations in a Vertically Complex Building, Conference On Spatial Information Theory (COSIT '05), Ellicottville, NY, USA.
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Meilinger T , Knauff M , Widiger A and Bülthoff HH (April-2005): Gedächtnissysteme beim Finden von Wegen in einer virtuellen Umgebung, 47. Tagung Experimentell Arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP 2005), Regensburg, Germany, Experimentelle Psychologie, 47. |
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Meilinger T and Knauff M (April-2004): Nach dem Weg fragen oder Karte studieren, was ist besser? Ein Feldexperiment, 46. Tagung Experimentell Arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP 2004), Giessen, Germany, Experimentelle Psychologie, 46 169.
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