Battery guide
Motor and Attention Battery guide
Five tests of motor speed, drawing steadiness, spatial attention and paced processing, for neurology research.
- Guide version
- 1.2.0
- Battery version
- 1.0.0
What it measures
Who it is for: Neurology and movement research.
It measures Motor speed, Drawing steadiness, Spatial attention, Visual search and Information processing speed.
Processing speed: How quickly people take in information and respond.
Attention: Keeping attention on a task and picking out what matters.
Scores describe how a person performs on these tasks. Research use only.
Tests in order
The tests run in this order. A study started from the battery keeps the order and the settings.
1. Finger Tapping Task. Measures motor speed. Participants tap one key as fast as they can with one index finger for 10 seconds at a time, the F key with the left hand and the J key with the right. The main score is the mean number of taps per trial with the hand they write with.
2. Spiral Drawing Test. A research measure of drawing accuracy and steadiness. Participants trace a five-loop spiral from the center outward, first with the hand they write with and then with the other hand. Every pointer sample is recorded with its time, and the main score is how far the writing hand's line strays from the spiral.
3. Line Bisection Test. Measures how attention is spread between the left and right of space. Lines of six lengths appear one at a time on the left, in the center and on the right, and participants mark the middle of each. The main score is the mean deviation of the marks from the true middle, with rightward deviations positive.
4. Cancellation Test. Measures visual search and how attention spreads across the left and right of a display. Participants mark every star among other shapes, then press Done. Scores include stars found, misses on each side and the center of cancellation.
5. Paced Visual Serial Addition Test. Measures information processing speed and working memory. Digits appear one at a time at a fixed pace, and participants type the sum of each digit and the one before it before the next digit appears. This is the visual version: digits are shown and sums are typed.
| Order | Test | Domain | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finger Tapping Task | Processing speed | 4 to 6 minutes |
| 2 | Spiral Drawing Test | Processing speed | 3 to 5 minutes |
| 3 | Line Bisection Test | Attention | 3 to 5 minutes |
| 4 | Cancellation Test | Attention | 3 to 6 minutes |
| 5 | Paced Visual Serial Addition Test | Processing speed | 5 to 7 minutes |
Time and devices
Allow about 29 minutes for the whole battery. The table gives each test's time.
The battery has timed tests. Participants need a desktop or laptop with a mouse or trackpad, and the timed tests run in full screen. Tablets and phones cannot run it.
On a desktop or laptop the screen must be at least 1024 by 700 pixels.
Participants need Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari.
| Test | Timing | Devices |
|---|---|---|
| Finger Tapping Task | Timed | Desktop or laptop |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Untimed | Desktop or laptop or tablet |
| Line Bisection Test | Untimed | Desktop or laptop or tablet |
| Cancellation Test | Untimed | Desktop or laptop or tablet |
| Paced Visual Serial Addition Test | Timed | Desktop or laptop |
Languages
Runs in all eight participant languages.
How to give it
Start a study from the battery in the app. The tests, their order and their settings are already set and stay fixed. If you change, reorder or customize a test, the study becomes a custom study and no longer carries the battery.
Each test opens with its instructions. Participants see these:
Finger Tapping Task: Tap the key with your index finger as fast as you can. The 10 seconds start with your first tap.
Spiral Drawing Test: Start at the green dot and trace the line of the spiral out to the red dot at your usual pace.
Line Bisection Test: Press Next line, then click or tap the exact middle of the line. Each line gets one mark.
Cancellation Test: Click or tap every star you can find. Each mark stays on the screen. Press Done when you have finished.
Paced Visual Serial Addition Test: Add each new digit to the digit just before it and type the sum before the next digit appears.
| Step | Before you invite participants |
|---|---|
| 1 | Use a desktop or laptop with a full keyboard and a mouse or trackpad. |
| 2 | Tell participants that two tests use each hand in turn, starting with the hand they write with. |
| 3 | Pilot the battery yourself, including the spiral drawing. |
| 4 | Review quality flags before comparing groups. |
How each test is scored
The server scores each test when the participant finishes it. The primary score is the one the app compares with a norm. The other scores are reported with it.
Every result records its scoring version. For this battery they are Finger Tapping Task 1.0.0, Spiral Drawing Test 1.0.0, Line Bisection Test 1.0.0, Cancellation Test 1.0.0 and Paced Visual Serial Addition Test 1.0.0.
| Test | Score | What it is | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finger Tapping Task | Writing Hand Taps (primary) | Mean taps per 10-second trial with the hand the participant writes with. | Higher is faster |
| Finger Tapping Task | Other Hand Taps | Mean taps per 10-second trial with the other hand. | Higher is faster |
| Finger Tapping Task | Hand Difference (%) | Writing hand taps minus other hand taps, as a percentage of the writing hand. | Positive values mean the writing hand was faster |
| Finger Tapping Task | Time Between Taps (ms) | Mean time between consecutive taps, both hands. | Lower is faster |
| Finger Tapping Task | Tapping Variability | Mean coefficient of variation of the time between taps within a trial. | Lower means a steadier rhythm |
| Finger Tapping Task | Slowing Within Trials (%) | Taps in the first half of each trial minus taps in the second half, as a percentage of the first half, averaged over trials. | Positive values mean tapping slowed within the 10 seconds |
| Finger Tapping Task | Key Hold Time (ms) | Mean time the key stayed down on each tap. | Lower means shorter presses |
| Finger Tapping Task | Writes with Left Hand (0/1) | 1 when the participant writes with the left hand, which then counts as the writing hand. | Shows which hand the scores call the writing hand |
| Finger Tapping Task | Trials Completed (trials) | Trials with at least one tap. | Twice the trials per hand when no trial was missed |
| Finger Tapping Task | Missed Trials | Trials with no tap within 30 seconds, left out of every mean. | Above 0 means some trials were missed |
| Finger Tapping Task | Held Key Repeats | Key repeats produced by holding the key down instead of tapping it. | Lower is better |
| Finger Tapping Task | Other Key Presses | Presses of keys other than the tapping key during trials. | Lower is better |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Writing Hand Deviation (proportion, primary) | Mean distance of the line from the nearest loop of the spiral, along the radius and weighted by the length drawn, as a share of the space between loops. | Lower means the line stayed closer to the spiral; 0.5 is halfway between two loops |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Other Hand Deviation (proportion) | Mean radial deviation of the other hand's spirals, as a share of the space between loops. | Lower means the line stayed closer to the spiral |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Writing Hand Coverage (proportion) | Turns drawn clockwise around the center as a share of the spiral's turns outside its first quarter turn. | 1 for a whole spiral; below 0.75 is flagged for review, and below 0 means drawn the other way round |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Other Hand Coverage (proportion) | Share of the spiral traced by the other hand, as for the writing hand. | 1 for a whole spiral; below 0.75 is flagged for review |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Writing Hand Drawing Time (seconds) | Mean time from the first to the last point of a spiral. | Lower is faster; speed is not the aim of the task |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Other Hand Drawing Time (seconds) | Mean time from the first to the last point of the other hand's spirals. | Lower is faster; speed is not the aim of the task |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Writing Hand Speed (spacings/s) | Length drawn per second while the pointer was down, in spaces between loops. | Higher is faster |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Other Hand Speed (spacings/s) | Drawing speed of the other hand, in spaces between loops per second. | Higher is faster |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Writing Hand Speed Variability | Coefficient of variation of the drawing speed over 100 ms steps. | Lower means a steadier speed |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Other Hand Speed Variability | Coefficient of variation of the other hand's drawing speed over 100 ms steps. | Lower means a steadier speed |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Writing Hand Smoothness Index | Coefficient of variation of the growth in radius over each 30 degrees of the unraveled drawing. | 0 for an even spiral; higher means a more uneven line |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Other Hand Smoothness Index | Smoothness index of the other hand's spirals. | 0 for an even spiral; higher means a more uneven line |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Writing Hand Tremor Frequency (Hz) | Frequency of the largest peak in the drawing's velocity spectrum between 4 and 12 Hz. Empty below 50 samples per second or without 2.56 seconds of unbroken drawing. | Informational; read it with the amplitude |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Other Hand Tremor Frequency (Hz) | Largest 4 to 12 Hz peak of the other hand's velocity spectrum. | Informational; read it with the amplitude |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Writing Hand Tremor Amplitude (proportion) | Root mean square movement within 1 Hz of the tremor frequency, as a share of the space between loops. | Lower means less oscillation between 4 and 12 Hz |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Other Hand Tremor Amplitude (proportion) | Root mean square movement of the other hand within 1 Hz of its tremor frequency, in spaces between loops. | Lower means less oscillation between 4 and 12 Hz |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Writing Hand Lifts | Mean times the pointer was lifted during a spiral. | 0 when each spiral was drawn in one stroke |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Other Hand Lifts | Mean lifts per spiral with the other hand. | 0 when each spiral was drawn in one stroke |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Spirals Scored | Test spirals with a drawn line. | Twice the spirals per hand when every spiral was drawn |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Sampling Rate (Hz) | Median pointer samples per second kept over the scored spirals. | Below 50 the tremor scores are empty and the session is flagged for review |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Writes with Left Hand (0/1) | 1 when the participant writes with the left hand, which then counts as the writing hand. | Shows which hand the scores call the writing hand |
| Spiral Drawing Test | Pointer Types (proportion) | Share of the pointer samples from a mouse, a pen or touch, keyed by type. | More than one type is flagged for review |
| Line Bisection Test | Mean Deviation (%, primary) | Mean distance of the marks from the true middle, as a percentage of half the line; marks right of the middle are positive. | Positive values mean marks to the right; healthy adults are often slightly negative |
| Line Bisection Test | Mean Absolute Deviation (%) | Mean size of the deviation, whatever its direction. | Lower means marks closer to the true middle |
| Line Bisection Test | Left Line Deviation (%) | Mean deviation on the six lines in the left half of the field. | Compare with the center and right lines |
| Line Bisection Test | Center Line Deviation (%) | Mean deviation on the six lines in the center of the field. | Compare with the left and right lines |
| Line Bisection Test | Right Line Deviation (%) | Mean deviation on the six lines in the right half of the field. | Compare with the left and center lines |
| Line Bisection Test | Short Line Deviation (%) | Mean deviation on the three shortest lengths (100 to 140). | Compare with long lines; the difference shows the effect of line length |
| Line Bisection Test | Long Line Deviation (%) | Mean deviation on the three longest lengths (160 to 200). | Compare with short lines; the difference shows the effect of line length |
| Line Bisection Test | Lines Bisected | Lines with a scored mark. | 18 per set when every line is scored |
| Line Bisection Test | Marks Beyond the Line End | Marks placed past either end of the line. | Above 0 means some lines were not bisected |
| Line Bisection Test | Presses Off the Line | Presses away from the line, which marked nothing. | Lower means fewer missed presses |
| Line Bisection Test | Anticipations | Marks made under 100 ms after the line appeared, left out of every other score. | Above 0 means some marks came before the line could be seen |
| Line Bisection Test | Median Time to Mark (ms) | Median time from the line appearing to the mark. | Lower is faster; speed is not the aim of the task |
| Cancellation Test | Stars Found (primary) | Stars marked at least once, of the 32 on the field. | Higher is better |
| Cancellation Test | Omissions | Stars not marked. | Lower is better |
| Cancellation Test | Left Omissions | Stars not marked in the left half of the field (columns 1 to 8). | Compare with right omissions; a difference shows a side bias |
| Cancellation Test | Right Omissions | Stars not marked in the right half of the field (columns 9 to 16). | Compare with left omissions; a difference shows a side bias |
| Cancellation Test | Center of Cancellation | Mean horizontal position of the stars found, from -1 (leftmost star) to +1 (rightmost), 0 when every star is found. | Positive values mean the stars found lay to the right |
| Cancellation Test | Vertical Center of Cancellation | The same index from the top (-1) to the bottom (+1). | Positive values mean the stars found lay lower on the field |
| Cancellation Test | False Marks | Shapes other than stars that were marked. | Lower is better |
| Cancellation Test | Revisits | Presses on stars that were already marked. | Lower means fewer repeated marks |
| Cancellation Test | Completion Time (seconds) | Time from the field appearing to Done, or to the time limit. | Lower is faster |
| Cancellation Test | Intersection Rate | Crossings of the path through the stars, in the order marked, divided by the number of star marks, immediate revisits removed. | Lower means a more orderly search |
| Cancellation Test | Best R | The larger absolute correlation of marking order with horizontal or with vertical position. | Higher means a more orderly search |
| Cancellation Test | Time Between Marks (ms) | Mean time between consecutive star marks. | Lower is faster |
| Cancellation Test | First Mark, Horizontal (proportion) | Horizontal position of the first star marked, 0 at the leftmost shape and 1 at the rightmost. | Values near 0 mean the search started on the left |
| Cancellation Test | First Mark, Vertical (proportion) | Vertical position of the first star marked, 0 at the top shape and 1 at the bottom. | Values near 0 mean the search started at the top |
| Cancellation Test | Ended by Time Limit (0/1) | 1 when the time limit ended the search before Done was pressed. | 1 means the search was cut short |
| Paced Visual Serial Addition Test | Total Correct (primary) | Correct sums out of 60. | Higher is better |
| Paced Visual Serial Addition Test | Percent Correct (%) | Correct sums as a percentage of the items shown. | Higher is better |
| Paced Visual Serial Addition Test | Dyads | Correct sums that directly follow another correct sum. | Higher is better |
| Paced Visual Serial Addition Test | Percent Dyads (%) | Dyads as a percentage of correct sums. | Lower suggests alternate items were skipped |
| Paced Visual Serial Addition Test | Omissions | Items with no sum typed before the next digit. | Lower is better |
| Paced Visual Serial Addition Test | Errors | Sums typed that were wrong or came under 100 ms. | Lower is better |
| Paced Visual Serial Addition Test | Correct, First Third | Correct sums among items 1 to 20. | Higher is better |
| Paced Visual Serial Addition Test | Correct, Second Third | Correct sums among items 21 to 40. | Higher is better |
| Paced Visual Serial Addition Test | Correct, Last Third | Correct sums among items 41 to 60. | Higher is better |
| Paced Visual Serial Addition Test | Last Minus First Third | Correct sums in the last third minus the first third. | Negative means performance fell during the test |
| Paced Visual Serial Addition Test | Median Correct RT (ms) | Median time from a digit's onset to its completed sum, over correct sums. | Lower is faster |
Session quality rules
The app checks every session when it scores it and records one of four states.
An Invalid session stays in the study's results, labelled with its reason, and does not count toward norms.
A session can carry warnings and still be valid. The results list the warnings next to the scores.
| State | What it means |
|---|---|
| Norm-ready | The session passed every check and a norm exists for it, so the app can show a percentile. |
| Raw-only | The scores are usable, but the app shows no percentile. Typical reasons are no norm for the test, changed settings, or a warning that makes a comparison unfair, such as a restart or a screen too short for the display. |
| Invalid technical | The setup broke the timing or the task. Examples are leaving full screen, a browser tab that lost focus during a timed test, and long pauses. |
| Invalid behavioral | The responses suggest the task was not done as asked. Examples are a failed attention check, repeated switching away from the task, and accuracy at or below chance on a choice task. |
Published norms used
No published norm is used for any test in this battery.
ConductCognition also builds norms from its own participants. An age band of a test uses them once it holds at least 50 valid sessions on the same device and input type, run with standard settings and scored with the current scoring version. Sessions from paying customers' studies and from clinical or patient samples do not count.
A report shows a percentile only when the app has stored one for that session. Otherwise it shows the raw scores.
Every reference group covers ages 18 and over. No reference group covers a participant under 18, so their report shows raw scores only, and their sessions do not count toward norms.
How to cite
ConductScience, Inc. Motor and Attention Battery guide, version 1.2.0. ConductCognition. https://conductcognition.com/batteries/motor-attention/guide
Cite the guide version you used. Name the battery version (1.0.0) and the scoring versions listed in this guide.