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Related Experiment Videos

Is it pointing to grasping or grasping pointing?

G J Savelsbergh1, J Van der Kamp

  • 1Institute for Fundamental and Clinical Human Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Van der Boechorststraat 9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Motor Control
|July 20, 1999
PubMed
Summary

The Smeets and Brenner model proposes grasping is pointing. While it fits reach-to-grasp, moving object, and eating tasks, it struggles with the distinct grasping actions in the latter two.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience and cognitive science, focusing on motor control and action perception.
  • Robotics and artificial intelligence, investigating grasping algorithms and models.

Background:

  • The Smeets and Brenner model posits that the act of grasping is fundamentally equivalent to pointing.
  • This perspective is primarily based on analysis of the reach-to-grasp motor task.

Discussion:

  • This commentary evaluates the Smeets and Brenner model's applicability to tasks beyond reach-to-grasp, specifically grasping moving objects and the act of eating.
  • The model demonstrates a degree of fit with empirical data from these extended tasks.
  • However, the generalization highlights significant limitations, particularly the inherent grasping components in non-reaching tasks that challenge the 'grasping-as-pointing' assertion.

Key Insights:

  • The Smeets and Brenner model, while applicable to reach-to-grasp, shows limitations when extended to tasks involving the manipulation of moving objects or during eating.

Related Experiment Videos

  • The distinct motor control and sensory feedback involved in these actions present challenges to a purely 'pointing' interpretation of grasping.
  • Task generalization, while typically a strength, here exposes the model's shortcomings in capturing the full complexity of grasping.

    • Outlook:

    • Future research should explore more comprehensive models of grasping that integrate diverse motor control strategies and sensory information.
    • Investigating the neural underpinnings of different grasping behaviors will be crucial for refining computational models.
    • Developing robotic systems that can adapt their grasping strategies based on object dynamics and task context remains an important challenge.