Simplified internal models in human control of complex objects

Humans are skillful at manipulating objects that possess nonlinear underactuated dynamics, such as clothes or containers filled with liquids. Several studies suggested that humans implement a predictive model-based strategy to control such objects. However, these studies only considered unconstrained reaching without any object involved or, at most, linear mass-spring systems with relatively simple dynamics. It is not clear what internal model humans develop of more complex objects, and what level of granularity is represented. To answer these questions, this study examined a task where participants physically interacted with a nonlinear underactuated system mimicking a cup of sloshing coffee: a cup with a ball rolling inside. The cup and ball were simulated in a virtual environment and subjects interacted with the system via a haptic robotic interface. Participants were instructed to move the system and arrive at a target region with both cup and ball at rest, 'zeroing out' residual oscillations of the ball. This challenging task affords a solution known as 'input shaping', whereby a series of pulses moves the dynamic object to the target leaving no residual oscillations. Since the timing and amplitude of these pulses depend on the controller's internal model of the object, input shaping served as a tool to identify the subjects' internal representation of the cup-and-ball. Five simulations with different internal models were compared against the human data. Results showed that the features in the data were correctly predicted by a simple internal model that represented the cup-and-ball as a single rigid mass coupled to the hand impedance. These findings provide evidence that humans use simplified internal models along with mechanical impedance to manipulate complex objects.