Compensatory tracking task explained

Compensatory tracking task
Purpose:	eye hand coordination assessment

A compensatory tracking task is a task that assesses eye–hand coordination, in which a user is operating a display that has an indicator and a zero point using a joystick, computer mouse, trackball, or other controlling device. The user must try to keep the indicator within the zero point while the indicator is being acted upon by outside forces.^[1]

Early versions of compensatory tracking tasks included a display made of a cathode ray oscilloscope with a rack and pinion connected to a knob that controlled the indicator. The zero point would be displayed on the cathode ray tube. The participant would turn the knob in order to keep the indicator within the zero point.

Time, and distance from the zero point are measured to determine the participant's ability to control the indicator. The early versions of this test were used to help develop better controls.^[2] Control modulators such as springs, generators, and electromagnets were used to increase difficulty of the task.

More recently, compensatory tracking tasks has been used to gauge alertness. This is done using a computer monitor and a simulation controlled by a mouse or trackball. Participants use the mouse to keep the indicator within a target which acts as the zero point. Time within the zero point and distance from the zero point are once again measured. Notable versions of the compensatory tracking task are COMPTRACK,^[3] and the PEBL compensatory tracking task.

See also

• Pursuit tracking task

Further reading

• Huang . Ruey-Song . Jung . Tzyy-Ping . Delorme . Arnaud . Makeig . Scott . Tonic and phasic electroencephalographic dynamics during continuous compensatory tracking . NeuroImage . 15 February 2008 . 39 . 4 . 1896–1909 . 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.10.036 . 18083601 . 8113168 . 10.1.1.297.3106 .
• Wolpert . D. M. . Miall . R. C. . Winter . J. L. . Stein . J. F. . Evidence for an Error Deadzone in Compensatory Tracking . Journal of Motor Behavior . 1 December 1992 . 24 . 4 . 299–308 . 10.1080/00222895.1992.9941626 . 14769559 . 10.1.1.712.9050 .
• Benson . Alan J. . Huddleston . Jo H. F. . Rolfe . John M. . A Psychophysiological Study of Compensatory Tracking on a Digital Display . Human Factors . 1 October 1965 . 7 . 5 . 457–472 . 10.1177/001872086500700505 . 5882207 . 28374174 .
• van der El . Kasper . Pool . Daan M. . Mulder . Max . Measuring and modeling driver steering behavior: From compensatory tracking to curve driving . Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour . 2019 . 61 . 337–346 . 10.1016/j.trf.2017.09.011 . 149379527 .
• Chernikoff . Rube . Birmingham . Henry P. . Taylor . Franklin V. . A comparison of pursuit and compensatory tracking under conditions of aiding and no aiding. . Journal of Experimental Psychology . 1955 . 49 . 1 . 55–59 . 10.1037/h0047938 . 13233465 .
• Vinje . Edward W. . Pitkin . Edward T. . Human Operator Dynamics for Aural Compensatory Tracking . IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics . 1972 . SMC-2 . 4 . 504–512 . 10.1109/TSMC.1972.4309160 . 1972NASSP.281..339V .
• Jaeger . Robert J. . Agarwal . Gyan C. . Gottlieb . Gerald L. . Predictor Operator in Pursuit and Compensatory Tracking . Human Factors . 1 August 1980 . 22 . 4 . 497–506 . 10.1177/001872088002200410 . 7429514 . 5110034 .
• Benignus . V . Effect of low level carbon monoxide on compensatory tracking and event monitoring . Neurotoxicology and Teratology . 1987 . 9 . 3 . 227–234 . 10.1016/0892-0362(87)90007-9 . 3627086 .
• Noble . Merrill . Sanders . Andries F. . Searching for Traffic Signals while Engaged in Compensatory Tracking . Human Factors . 1 February 1980 . 22 . 1 . 89–102 . 10.1177/001872088002200110 . 7364449 . 45819006 .

Notes and References

1. Web site: Cruzen . Marianne . Senders . John W. . Tracking Performance on Combined Compensatory and Pursuit Tasks . 1 February 1952 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220601064532/https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/ADA076045 . live . June 1, 2022 .
2. Howland . Daniel . Noble . Merrill E. . The effect of physical constants of a control on tracking performance . Journal of Experimental Psychology . 1953 . 46 . 5 . 353–360 . . 10.1037/h0059064 . 13109139 .
3. Web site: Makeig . S. . Jolley . K. . COMPTRACK: A Compensatory Tracking Task for Monitoring Alertness . 9 July 1995 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220601064610/https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/ADA311977 . live . June 1, 2022 .