Throwing darts: timing is not the limiting factor
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Updated: Oct 1, 2026

Automated, Quantitative Cognitive/Behavioral Screening of Mice: For Genetics, Pharmacology, Animal Cognition and Undergraduate Instruction
Published on: February 26, 2014
Jeroen B J Smeets1, Maarten A Frens, Eli Brenner
1Afdeling Neurowetenschappen, Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, Postbus 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands. smeets@fys.fgg.eur.nl
Abstract:
It has been argued that precision in throwing is limited by the precision in the timing of the release. When precision is the only goal, as in throwing darts, one could therefore expect people to throw in a way that reduces sensitivity for imprecision in timing. We show that subjects do not do so, but throw in a way that reduces the sensitivity for speed errors instead. They even appear to vary the timing of release to compensate for the errors in the hand's movement. Thus timing does not appear to be the limiting factor.

