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Related Experiment Video

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Design and Use of an Apparatus for Presenting Graspable Objects in 3D Workspace

Design and Use of an Apparatus for Presenting Graspable Objects in 3D Workspace

Published on: August 8, 2019

How objects are grasped: the interplay between affordances and end-goals.

Luisa Sartori¹, Elisa Straulino, Umberto Castiello

¹Dipartimento di Psicologia Generale, Università di Padova, Padova, Italy.

|October 8, 2011

Summary

Hand movements adapt finger placement based on object shape and intended action, demonstrating how affordances and end-goals guide grasping. This research clarifies goal-directed reach-to-grasp movements.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Biomechanics
Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

Prior research shows reach-to-grasp movements are influenced by the intended manipulative action.
However, how finger placement is specifically affected by the action's end-goal remains less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how object shape and the end-goal of an action influence finger placement during reach-to-grasp movements.
To examine the interplay between object affordances and action goals in motor control.

Main Methods:

Kinematic data of reaching and grasping movements were collected.
Participants interacted with objects of varying shapes (cylindrical vs. concave) and weights (varying water levels).
End-goals included pouring and moving the objects.

Main Results:

Object affordances influence the end-goal of actions, even when accuracy is not the primary constraint.
Finger placement at the point of contact is significantly modulated by both the object's physical properties (shape) and the intended action (goal).

Conclusions:

The study contributes to understanding how affordances and end-goals shape the kinematics of reach-to-grasp actions.
Findings highlight the adaptive nature of motor control in response to task demands and object properties.