Name: Yinqi Huang
Ph.D. Dissertation Proposal Meeting
Time: Monday, April 6, 2026, 1:00–2:00 PM
Location: Zoom: https://gatech.zoom.us/j/93882799148
Advisor:
Dr. Robert Wilson (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Dissertation Committee Members:
Dr. Dobromir Rahnev (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Dr. Woon Ju Park (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Dr. Thackery Brown (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Dr. Kechen Zhang (Johns Hopkins University)
Title: A Control-Theoretic Model of Head Direction
Abstract: This dissertation investigates how humans maintain and update orientation during naturalistic navigation by explaining head direction representations with control-theoretic models. It proposes how internal estimates of heading are formed, how they are updated by prediction error, and how they drive motor output. A control-theoretic model of head direction integrates state estimation and feedback control, where prediction errors continuously update the internal heading estimate and generate control output. Study 1 examines the effects of landmark-based gain using shifted visual cues in a goal-directed virtual reality task. Study 2 investigates velocity gain by manipulating optic flow, thereby altering the mapping between motor commands and perceived self-motion. Together, these studies demonstrate that a control-theoretic model provides a mechanistic account of head direction by integrating sensory inputs (e.g., visual and vestibular signals) to maintain an internal state and predict how changes in perceived position, velocity, and acceleration affect motor output.