Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of speeds and force fields on submovements during circular manual tracking in humans

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Experimental Brain Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Complex limb movements exhibit segmentation into submovements characterized as bell-shaped speed pulses. Submovements have been implicated in both feedback and feedforward control, reflecting an intermittent error-correction process. This study examines submovements occurring during a circular manual tracking task in humans, focusing on the amplitude-duration scaling of submovements and the properties of this scaling across changes in movement speed and external force load. The task consisted of intercepting and tracking a circularly moving target using a two-jointed, robotic arm that allowed external force fields to be imposed during tracking. Different speed levels and different levels of three types of force field were examined. Submovements were defined as fluctuations in the speed profile. The properties of the amplitude-duration ratio of the speed pulses were examined in relation to target speed and external force fields. The results show that the amplitude and duration of the submovements scale linearly in human manual tracking. The slope of the scaling was independently influenced by both target speed and external force fields. A common element in the increase in the scaling slope was increased tracking errors. Control experiments using passive movements and power spectral analysis showed that the submovements were not artifacts of the mechanical/acquisition system or the imposed force field. These results are consistent with the concept of stereotypy in which movements are constructed of scaled versions of a single prototype. Furthermore, the results support the hypothesis that submovements are integral to an error detection and correction control process.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1A–C
Fig. 2
Fig. 3A–D
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7A–F
Fig. 8
Fig. 9A–D
Fig. 10A–B
Fig. 11
Fig. 12A–C

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abend W, Bizzi E, Morasso P (1982) Human arm trajectory formation. Brain 105:331–348

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Beggs WDA, Howarth CD (1970) Movement control in man in a repetitive motor task. Nature 221:1247–1257

    Google Scholar 

  • Berthier NE (1997) Predictive reaching for moving objects by human infants. In: Donahue J, Dorsal VP (eds) Neural network models of complex behavior—biobehavioral foundations. North Holland, Amsterdam, pp 283–301

  • Brooks VB, Kozlovskaya IB, Atkin A, Horvath FE, Uno M (1973) Effects of cooling denate nucleus on tracking-task performance in monkeys. J Neurophysiol 36:974–995

    Google Scholar 

  • Burdet E, Milner T (1998) Quantization of human motions and learning of accurate movements. Biol Cybern 78:307–318

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Doeringer JA, Hogan H (1998) Intermittency in preplanned elbow movements persists in the absence of visual feedback. J Neurophysiol 80:1787–1799

    Google Scholar 

  • Fitts PM (1954) The information capacity of the human motor system in controlling the amplitude of movement. J Exp Psychol 47:381–391

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Flash T, Henis E (1991) Arm trajectory modifications during reaching towards visual targets. J Cogn Neurosci 3:220–230

    Google Scholar 

  • Flash T, Hogan N (1985) The coordination of arm movements: an experimentally confirmed mathematical model. J Neurosci 5:1688–1703

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hartman BO, Fitts PM (1955) Relation of stimulus and response amplitude to tracking performance. J Exp Psychol 49:82–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Hick WE (1948) The discontinuous functioning of the human operator in pursuit tasks. Quart J Exp Psychol 1:36–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Hogan N (1985) The mechanics of multi-joint posture and movement control. Biol Cybern 52:315–331

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Keele SW, Posner MI (1968) Processing of visual feedback in rapid movements. J Exp Psychol 77:155–158

    Google Scholar 

  • Lacquaniti F, Soechting JF (1982) Coordination of arm and wrist motion during a reaching task. Neuroscience 2:399–408

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee D, Port NL, Georgopoulos AP (1997) Manual interception of moving targets. II. On-line control of overlapping submovements. Exp Brain Res 116:421–433

    Google Scholar 

  • Massey JT, Lurito JT, Pellizzer G, Georgopoulos AP (1992) Three-dimensional drawings in isometric conditions: relation between geometry and kinematics. Exp Brain Res 88:685–690

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer DE, Smith JE, Wright CE (1982) Models for the speed and accuracy of aimed movements. Psychol Rev 89:449–482

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miall RC, Weir DJ, Stein J (1986) Manual tracking of visual targets by trained monkeys. Behav Brain Res 20:185–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milner TE (1992) A model for the generation of movements requiring endpoint precision. Neuroscience 49:487–496

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milner TE, Ijaz MM (1990) The effect of accuracy constraints on three-dimensional movement kinematics. Neuroscience 35:365–374

    Google Scholar 

  • Morasso P (1981) Spatial control of arm movements. Exp Brain Res 42:223–227

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morasso P, Mussa-Ivaldi F (1982) Trajectory formation and handwriting: a computational model. Biol Cybern 45:131–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Noble M, Fitts PM, Warren CE (1954) The frequency response of skilled subjects in a pursuit tracking task. J Exp Psychol 49:249–259

    Google Scholar 

  • Novak KE, Miller LE, Houk JC (2000) Kinematic properties of rapid hand movements in a knob turning task. Exp Brain Res 132:419–433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Novak KE, Miller LE, Houk JC (2002) The use of overlapping submovements in the control of rapid hand movements. Exp Brain Res 144:351–364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rohrer B, Hogan N (2003) Avoiding spurious submovement decompositions: a globally optimal algorithm. Biol Cybern 89:190–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roitman AV, Pasalar S, Ebner TJ (2003) Force field and speed effect on submovements during circular manual tracking in human. Program No. 492.5. 2003 Abstract Viewer/Itinerary Planner. Washington, DC: Society for Neuroscience. Online.

  • Roitman AV, Massaquoi SG, Takahashi K, Ebner TJ (2004a) Kinematic analysis of manual tracking in monkeys: characterization of movement intermittencies during a circular tracking task. J Neurophysiol 91:901–911

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Roitman AV, Pasalar S, Ebner TJ (2004b) Purkinje cell activity is coupled to submovements and error signals during circular manual tracking in monkey. Program No. 827.1. 2004 Abstract Viewer/Itinerary Planner. Washington, DC: Society for Neuroscience. Online.

  • Shadmehr R, Mussa-Ivaldi FA (1994) Adaptive representation of dynamics during learning of a motor task. J Neurosci 14:3208–3224

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sternad D, Schaal S (1999) Segmentation of endpoint trajectories does not imply segmented control. Exp Brain Res 124:118–136

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vince MA (1948) Corrective movements in a pursuit task. J Exp Psychol 38:85–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Von Hofsten C (1980) Analysis of reaching for stationary and moving objects in the human infant. J Exp Child Psychol 30:369–382

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woodworth RC (1899) The accuracy of voluntary movements. Psychol Rev Mono Suppl 3:1–114

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank M. McPhee for assistance with graphics and S. Allison for assistance with programming. This study was supported in part by NIH grant RO1 NS18338.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    S. Pasalar, A. V. Roitman & T. J. Ebner

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    S. Pasalar

Authors
  1. S. Pasalar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. V. Roitman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. T. J. Ebner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. J. Ebner.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pasalar, S., Roitman, A.V. & Ebner, T.J. Effects of speeds and force fields on submovements during circular manual tracking in humans. Exp Brain Res 163, 214–225 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-004-2169-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-004-2169-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation