The main aim of this grant was to consider locomotor abilities in individuals with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder. We considered this in four distinct phases. The first simply looked at the control of unobstructed walking in this population. The grant then moved on to look at the negotiation of obstacles, specifically how individuals walk through narrow gaps or apertures. In phase two we considered the visual judgements of individuals when deciding whether they were able to pass through a narrow gap or not. In phase 3, we asked participants to actually pass through these same narrow gaps / apertures and we measured their movements. Finally in phase 4 we considered negotiation of unexpected obstacles, as participants walked a ‘gate’ might or might not close in their pathway. For this series of studies we used the same participants with and without DCD. This consisted of a group of 44 participants with DCD aged from 7 years to 32 years and a group of age (within 6 months) and gender matched typically developing participants. Participants with DCD were selected in line with DSM 5 criteria. More detailed information about each participant can be found within each datasheet. Some of the data has an embargo due to forthcoming publications – however, it will all be available from 01.01.17 This entry refers to Phase 4 in typical adults only Datasheets from the other phases are as follows: Phase 1: Navigational abilities in individuals with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD); Phase 1: Flat walking (this is the data for all of the participants) Phase 2: Navigational abilities in individuals with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD): Phase 2 visual judgements of size (this is the data for all of the participants) Phase 3: (two files) Navigational abilities in individuals with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD); Phase 3: Negotiating obstacles in children with DCD (this is the data for the 7-17 year olds) Navigational abilities of typically developing individuals and individuals with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD): Phase 3 adult data (this is the data for the 18-32 year-olds) Phase 4: Navigational abilities in individuals with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD); Phase 4: Unexpected obstacle avoidance typical adults (this is a data set of typical adults only) During everyday life we walk around busy environments, negotiating stationary and moving obstacles. This is usually performed effortlessly but actually involves complex skills to visually monitor the environment and control body movements. For individuals with coordination difficulties this presents a real challenge and can have a negative impact on safe participation at school or work and in everyday life. This project will consider several aspects of obstacle avoidance and navigation in children and adults with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). DCD is characterized by everyday motor problems in the absence of sensory, intellectual or neurological impairment. The condition occurs in almost 2% of children and usually continues into adulthood. Primarily the project will focus on locomotion while negotiating a gap/aperture between obstacles such as that created by a doorway or parked cars. Such a task has both a perceptual element and a motor element. We plan to consider the perceptual element both in isolation and within a movement context. Finally the project will consider navigation of unpredictable or changing environments. The proposed research will further our understanding of the mechanisms underlying DCD and thereby assist in planning more effective interventions to support motor learning.

Participants were instructed to at a comfortable pace along an 11m walkway. Two rectangular gates, each 60cm wide and 30cm high were positioned on each side of the walkway 8m from the start point. A motion sensor positioned 5m from the start point and 3m in front of the gates was used to trigger either the right or left gate to swing to rest across the pathway. A 16 camera VICON system running at 100Hz was used to track the movement of markers attached to: the seventh cervical vertebrae, the sacral wand, the second metatarsal head on left and right foot, and the ankle on left and right foot. Initially participants completed 6 ‘no gate’ trials. On these trials the gates and motion sensors were present at the side of the walkway but participants were told that these were to be ignored. Participants were instructed to walk the length of the walkway at a natural pace. Movement data was captured during the middle 4m only in order to eliminate periods of acceleration and deceleration. Following these no gate trials participants were instructed to walk from the start to the stop point for each trial, and then return to the start by the return path. In ‘gate close’ trials the motion sensor was switched on so that it was triggered as the participant walked by, causing one of the gates to close across the pathway and forcing them to circumvent the gate to avoid collision and continue their passage. Circumvention of a closed gate was first demonstrated to participants, who were instructed to avoid the gate while continuing their passage along the walkway. On ‘gate open’ trials, unbeknownst to the participant, the motion sensor was deactivated so that the gates remained stationery and parallel to the walkway throughout the trial allowing for unobstructed passage. From a participant’s point of view, in the ‘gate open’ condition there is a possibility that a gate will swing closed to partially block the pathway. Participants completed 6 ‘gate close’ and 30 ‘gate open’ trials with the former interspersed randomly and the side of closure (right or left) also random. This ensured that presence of the obstacle in the pathway was unpredictable. 15 healthy adults took part in this study, aged between 16 and 30 years of age.