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Horizontal and Vertical Eye and Head Movements during a Baseball Swing

Persson, Tyler W
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1364827650

Abstract Details

2013, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Vision Science.
The purpose of this experiment was to observe and classify the head and eye movements of experienced baseball players when they are trying to hit a baseball. More specifically, it was designed to determine if players track deep into the pitch trajectory when attempting to hit, and if they use a similar tracking strategy when taking a pitch. We hypothesized that the batsmen would utilize two separate tracking methods, one for taking and another for swinging. Subjects were tested using a pitching machine called the Flamethrower under two separate conditions, in one condition they were instructed to “track the ball like you are taking a pitch”, and in the second condition they were instructed to “swing at the pitches like you would in batting practice”. Tennis balls were pitched from a distance of 56.3 feet from the batter at a measured velocity of approximately 75 miles per hour. Eye movements were recorded with the ISCAN infrared eye tracker and horizontal head rotations were recorded with the 3DM-GX1 head tracker and the Flock of Birds head tracker. All head and eye recordings were temporally synchronized with each other and with ball position using software. Two subjects were enrolled in the study. Each subject viewed 50 pitches under the “take” condition and 40 pitches under the “swing” condition. A total of 180 pitches were successfully recorded and both subjects were able to track a tennis ball in both testing conditions. Thus, 180 pitches were analyzed. Mean gaze errors for both trials indicated that the subjects were able to accurately track the pitched tennis balls for a majority of the ball’s flight path under each testing condition. Inter-subject comparison revealed the subjects exhibited similar tracking strategies in each condition, although one subject appeared to have less variability with his head and eye movements. Both subjects utilized different tracking strategies for taking versus swinging. In the “take” condition, the subjects used fast head and eye movements to produce a tracking lead, in an apparent effort to view the balls when they cross the plate. This observation agrees with previous reports in the literature for a proposed “optimum learning strategy” for successful hitting. In the “swing” condition the subjects used head and eye movements to track the balls late in the pitch trajectory. However, the head and eye movements in the “swing” condition were significantly decreased in both magnitude and amplitude compared to the “take” condition. Overall, these results indicate that the subjects tracked the balls both horizontally and vertically late in the pitch trajectory when swinging at the pitch. The reason for this is unknown, but indicates tracking with one’s gaze plays an integral role in hitting. That role is yet to be defined, and can only be postulated without further studies.
Nicklaus Fogt, O.D., Ph.D. (Advisor)
Andrew Hartwick, O.D., Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Heather Chandler, Ph. D. (Committee Member)
Kinesiology; Ophthalmology
sports vision; baseball tracking; eye tracking; baseball gaze tracking; vision science; vision in baseball

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Persson, T. W. (2013). Horizontal and Vertical Eye and Head Movements during a Baseball Swing [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1364827650

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Persson, Tyler. Horizontal and Vertical Eye and Head Movements during a Baseball Swing. 2013. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1364827650.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Persson, Tyler. "Horizontal and Vertical Eye and Head Movements during a Baseball Swing." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1364827650

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.