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Fast corrections of movements with a computer mouse
Eli Brenner1, Jeroen B J Smeets
1Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands. e.brenner@erasmusmc.nl
Spatial Vision
|July 16, 2003
Summary
When using tools like a computer mouse, our brains adjust to control the tool's end, not just our hand movements. This allows for quick reactions to visual changes during tool-assisted actions.
Area of Science:
- Motor control
- Human-computer interaction
- Robotics
Background:
- Reaching for objects involves transforming visual information into motor commands.
- Using tools, such as a computer mouse, requires a different transformation as muscle contractions aim to position the tool's end-effector, not the digits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how humans adapt motor control when using tools with a significant visual-motor transformation.
- To examine responses to visual perturbations during tool-use, specifically with a computer mouse.
Main Methods:
- Participants performed reaching movements with their hand and a computer mouse.
- Unpredictable visual perturbations (target or cursor displacement) were introduced during movements.
- Response times to these perturbations were measured.
Main Results:
- Response times to target displacement were similar for hand and mouse movements.
- Response times to cursor displacement were also similar to target displacement.
- The results indicate that perceived separation between target and cursor is not directly mapped to hand displacement.
Conclusions:
- Motor control adapts to the tool's end-effector, not solely the limb's joints.
- Judged positions of the end-effector and target guide actions, even with tools significantly detached from the body.
- This suggests a flexible control system that accounts for the effective endpoint of an action.