1
|
Feng X, Xu S, Li Y, Liu J. Body size as a metric for the affordable world. eLife 2024; 12:RP90583. [PMID: 38547366 PMCID: PMC10987089 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The physical body of an organism serves as a vital interface for interactions with its environment. Here, we investigated the impact of human body size on the perception of action possibilities (affordances) offered by the environment. We found that the body size delineated a distinct boundary on affordances, dividing objects of continuous real-world sizes into two discrete categories with each affording distinct action sets. Additionally, the boundary shifted with imagined body sizes, suggesting a causal link between body size and affordance perception. Intriguingly, ChatGPT, a large language model lacking physical embodiment, exhibited a modest yet comparable affordance boundary at the scale of human body size, suggesting the boundary is not exclusively derived from organism-environment interactions. A subsequent fMRI experiment offered preliminary evidence of affordance processing exclusively for objects within the body size range, but not for those beyond. This suggests that only objects capable of being manipulated are the objects capable of offering affordance in the eyes of an organism. In summary, our study suggests a novel definition of object-ness in an affordance-based context, advocating the concept of embodied cognition in understanding the emergence of intelligence constrained by an organism's physical attributes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinran Feng
- Department of Psychology & Tsinghua Laboratory of Brain and Intelligence, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Shan Xu
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yuannan Li
- Department of Psychology & Tsinghua Laboratory of Brain and Intelligence, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jia Liu
- Department of Psychology & Tsinghua Laboratory of Brain and Intelligence, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Koyama S, Tatemoto T, Kumazawa N, Tanabe S, Nakagawa Y, Otaka Y. The effect of differences in powered wheelchair joystick shape on subjective and objective operability. Appl Ergon 2023; 107:103920. [PMID: 36306702 DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Various-shaped joysticks steer electric-powered wheelchairs (EPWs); however, an operability evaluation has not been fully conducted. This study evaluated the subjective and objective operability of various-shaped joysticks in 22 younger and 22 older adults. Participants operated an EPW on an experimental course using nine different-shaped joysticks, before ranking each joystick by their operability (1 = best, 9 = worst) as a primary outcome. Movement time (MT) and driving accuracy (DA) were also measured. Despite no significant differences in the primary outcome between joysticks, the I-shaped joystick with rounded tips (neutral grip) was ranked higher than the others. MT did not differ between joysticks, but DA was higher for the thin-columnar I-shaped joystick (pinch grip) than for the U- and T-shaped joysticks (pronated grip). MT and DA scores for young adults were significantly better than those for older adults. Further studies should be conducted to clarify possible factors related to EPW operability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soichiro Koyama
- Faculty of Rehabilitation, School of Health Sciences, Fujita Health University, Japan.
| | - Tsuyoshi Tatemoto
- Faculty of Rehabilitation, School of Health Sciences, Fujita Health University, Japan
| | - Nobuhiro Kumazawa
- Faculty of Rehabilitation, School of Health Sciences, Fujita Health University, Japan
| | - Shigeo Tanabe
- Faculty of Rehabilitation, School of Health Sciences, Fujita Health University, Japan
| | - Yuki Nakagawa
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine I, School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, Japan
| | - Yohei Otaka
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine I, School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Smeets JBJ, Weijs PE, Brenner E. Familiarity with an Object’s Size Influences the Perceived Size of Its Image. Vision (Basel) 2022; 6:14. [PMID: 35324599 PMCID: PMC8955019 DOI: 10.3390/vision6010014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
It is known that judgments about objects’ distances are influenced by familiar size: a soccer ball looks farther away than a tennis ball if their images are equally large on the retina. We here investigate whether familiar size also influences judgments about the size of images of objects that are presented side-by-side on a computer screen. Sixty-three participants indicated which of two images appeared larger on the screen in a 2-alternative forced-choice discrimination task. The objects were either two different types of balls, two different types of coins, or a ball and a grey disk. We found that the type of ball biased the comparison between their image sizes: the size of the image of the soccer ball was over-estimated by about 5% (assimilation). The bias in the comparison between the two balls was equal to the sum of the biases in the comparisons with the grey disk. The bias for the coins was smaller and in the opposite direction (contrast). The average precision of the size comparison was 3.5%, irrespective of the type of object. We conclude that knowing a depicted object’s real size can influence the perceived size of its image, but the perceived size is not always attracted towards the familiar size.
Collapse
|
4
|
Lee-Miller T, Santello M, Gordon AM. Transfer and generalization of learned manipulation between unimanual and bimanual tasks. Sci Rep 2021; 11:8688. [PMID: 33888771 PMCID: PMC8062521 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87988-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Successful object manipulation, such as preventing object roll, relies on the modulation of forces and centers of pressure (point of application of digits on each grasp surface) prior to lift onset to generate a compensatory torque. Whether or not generalization of learned manipulation can occur after adding or removing effectors is not known. We examined this by recruiting participants to perform lifts in unimanual and bimanual grasps and analyzed results before and after transfer. Our results show partial generalization of learned manipulation occurred when switching from a (1) unimanual to bimanual grasp regardless of object center of mass, and (2) bimanual to unimanual grasp when the center of mass was on the thumb side. Partial generalization was driven by the modulation of effectors' center of pressure, in the appropriate direction but of insufficient magnitude, while load forces did not contribute to torque generation after transfer. In addition, we show that the combination of effector forces and centers of pressure in the generation of compensatory torque differ between unimanual and bimanual grasping. These findings highlight that (1) high-level representations of learned manipulation enable only partial learning transfer when adding or removing effectors, and (2) such partial generalization is mainly driven by modulation of effectors' center of pressure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Trevor Lee-Miller
- Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Teachers College, Columbia University, Box 93, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Marco Santello
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-9709, USA
| | - Andrew M Gordon
- Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Teachers College, Columbia University, Box 93, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Abstract
Precision manipulation, or moving small objects held in the fingertips, is likely the most heavily utilized class of dexterous within-hand manipulation and adds greatly to the capabilities of the human hand. This article focuses on studying the effects of varying the number of digits used on the resulting manipulation abilities, in terms of translational workspaces and rotational ranges, by manipulating two circular objects, 50 mm and 80 mm in diameter. In general, as the number of digits in contact with the object increases, the results show a significant reduction in precision manipulation workspace range for four of the six translation and rotation directions and no significant change in the other two, suggesting that for these particular metrics, more fingers result in a reduction in performance. Furthermore, while two digits results in the largest workspaces for five of the six translation and rotation axes, the lack of ability to control rotation in the distal-proximal direction suggests that three digits may be more desirable for overall precision manipulation dexterity.
Collapse
|
6
|
Abstract
In this paper we review studies that have identified collective variables (order parameters) in movement coordination, control and skill with emphasis on whole-body multiple joint degree of freedom (DF) tasks. Collective variables of a dynamical system have been proposed formally and informally from a diverse set of perceptual-motor tasks, from which we emphasize: bimanual coordination, locomotion (pedalo, walking, running, bicycle riding), roller ball task, static (quiet standing) and dynamic (moving on a ski-simulator) balance, grasping, and juggling. Several types of candidate collective variables have been identified, including: relative phase, frequency ratio, number of hands active in grasping, synchrony, learning rate and relative timing. There is a strong influence of the task goal in determining the collective variable that can be body or environment relative. The emergence of the task relevant collective variable is typically in the early stage of skill learning where subjects through practice adapt movement organization to realize a never previously produced movement coordination pattern. Throughout, the paper elaborates on open theoretical, experimental and analysis issues for collective variables in the context of task constraints and Bernstein's (1967) view of skill acquisition as learning to master redundant DF.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karl M Newell
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Yeou-Teh Liu
- Department of Athletic Performance, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 116, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Miall RC, Rosenthal O, Ørstavik K, Cole JD, Sarlegna FR. Loss of haptic feedback impairs control of hand posture: a study in chronically deafferented individuals when grasping and lifting objects. Exp Brain Res 2019; 237:2167-2184. [PMID: 31209510 PMCID: PMC6675781 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-019-05583-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Previous work has highlighted the role of haptic feedback for manual dexterity, in particular for the control of precision grip forces between the index finger and thumb. It is unclear how fine motor skills involving more than just two digits might be affected, especially given that loss of sensation from the hand affects many neurological patients, and impacts on everyday actions. To assess the functional consequences of haptic deficits on multi-digit grasp of objects, we studied the ability of three rare individuals with permanent large-fibre sensory loss involving the entire upper limb. All three reported difficulties in everyday manual actions (ABILHAND questionnaire). Their performance in a reach-grasp-lift task was compared to that of healthy controls. Twenty objects of varying shape, mass, opacity and compliance were used. In the reach-to-grasp phase, we found slower movement, larger grip aperture and less dynamic modulation of grip aperture in deafferented participants compared to controls. Hand posture during the lift phase also differed; deafferented participants often adopted hand postures that may have facilitated visual guidance, and/or reduced control complexity. For example, they would extend fingers that were not in contact with the object, or fold these fingers into the palm of the hand. Variability in hand postures was increased in deafferented participants, particularly for smaller objects. Our findings provide new insights into how the complex control required for whole hand actions is compromised by loss of haptic feedback, whose contribution is, thus, highlighted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R Chris Miall
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Orna Rosenthal
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | | | - Jonathan D Cole
- Centre of Postgraduate Research and Education, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abstract
The use of both hands simultaneously when manipulating objects is fairly commonplace, but it is not known what factors encourage people to use two hands as opposed to one during simple tasks such as transport. In particular, we are interested in three possible transport strategies: unimanual transport, handing off between hands, and symmetric bimanual transport. In this study, we investigate the effect of object size, weight, and starting and ending position (configuration) as well as the need to balance the object on the use of these three strategies in a bowl-moving task. We find that configuration and balance have a strong effect on choice of strategy, and size and weight have a weaker effect. Hand-offs are most often used when the task requires moving an object from left to right and vice versa, while the unimanual strategy was frequently used when passing front to back. The bimanual strategy is only weakly affected by configuration. The need to balance an object causes subjects to favor unimanual and bimanual strategies over the hand-off. In addition, an analysis of transport duration and body rotation suggests that strategy choice may be driven by the desire to minimize body rotation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuzuko C Nakamura
- a Computer Science Department , Carnegie Mellon University , Pittsburgh , USA
| | - Carol A O'Sullivan
- b Disney Research , Glendale , CA , USA.,c School of Computer Science and Statistics, Trinity College Dublin , Dublin , Ireland
| | - Nancy S Pollard
- a Computer Science Department , Carnegie Mellon University , Pittsburgh , USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Mangalam M, Fragaszy DM, Newell KM, Visalberghi E. Stone-Tool Use in Wild Monkeys: Implications for the Study of the Body-Plus-Tool System. Ecological Psychology 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/10407413.2017.1369852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Elisabetta Visalberghi
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council of Italy (CNR)
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Kim S, Frank TD. Correlations Between Hysteretic Categorical and Continuous Judgments of Perceptual Stimuli Supporting a Unified Dynamical Systems Approach to Perception. Perception 2017; 47:44-66. [PMID: 28945152 DOI: 10.1177/0301006617731047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
We report from two variants of a figure-ground experiment that is known in the literature to involve a bistable perceptual domain. The first variant was conducted as a two-alternative forced-choice experiment and in doing so tested participants on a categorical measurement scale. The second variant involved a Likert scale measure that was considered to represent a continuous measurement scale. The two variants were conducted as a single within-subjects experiment. Measures of bistability operationalized in terms of hysteresis size scores showed significant positive correlations across the two response conditions. The experimental findings are consistent with a dualistic interpretation of self-organizing perceptual systems when they are described on a macrolevel by means of so-called amplitude equations. This is explicitly demonstrated for a Lotka-Volterra-Haken amplitude equation model of task-related brain activity. As a by-product, the proposed dynamical systems perspective also sheds new light on the anchoring problem of producing numerical, continuous judgments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S Kim
- Center for the Ecological Study of Perception and Action, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - T D Frank
- Center for the Ecological Study of Perception and Action, 7712 University of Connecticut , Storrs, CT, USA; Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Kim S, Frank TD. Body-scaled perception is subjected to adaptation when repetitively judging opportunities for grasping. Exp Brain Res 2016; 234:2731-43. [PMID: 27220768 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-016-4677-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 05/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Experimental evidence is given that the perceptual system adapts to repetitive task execution in a perceptual two-choice judgment task. Participants were tested with respect to their perception of opportunities for plank grasping. Participants had to report whether planks were perceived as objects being graspable with either one hand or two hands. When the plank size was gradually increased and subsequently decreased, transitions from one hand judgments to two hands judgments and vice versa were observed. Analysis of the transition scores revealed that the perceptual judgments were body-scaled, as it is known in the literature. However, judgments were also found to be context dependent. Judgment transition scores were affected in a systematic way by the kind of and the number of previously made judgments. The latter quantitative impact was observed in three related experiments and suggests that perceptual judgments about opportunities for action adapt to task repetition. Overall, the experimental findings are consistent with the predictions of a dynamical systems model, which assumes that perceptual judgments are emergent properties of a self-organizing process that involves inhibitory top-down feedback.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seokhun Kim
- Center for the Ecological Study of Perception and Action, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Rd., Unit 1020, Storrs, CT, 06269-1020, USA
| | - Till D Frank
- Center for the Ecological Study of Perception and Action, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Rd., Unit 1020, Storrs, CT, 06269-1020, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Feix T, Bullock IM, Gloumakov Y, Dollar AM. Rotational ranges of human precision manipulation when grasping objects with two to five digits. Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2016; 2015:5785-90. [PMID: 26737607 DOI: 10.1109/embc.2015.7319707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The ability to move and manipulate objects within the hand is important for the overall performance of the human hand. Such movements are key for many tasks, including writing, using precision tools, turning knobs, and operating various haptic interfaces. In this work we analyze the ability of 17 unimpaired subjects to rotate objects 50 and 80 mm in diameter using 2 to 5 digits, while maintaining the initial finger-object contact locations. Subjects were asked to rotate the object with a particular number of fingers around one of three orthogonal hand axes for 30 seconds and explore their rotational range. The average rotational range achieved over all conditions was 47 degrees, with the largest rotation of 82 degrees for the 3 digit case around a distal-proximal axis. The rotations around the palmar-dorsal and the ulnar-radial axes showed similar trends, where the smaller object resulted in 1.3 and 1.2 times larger rotation workspaces than the larger object (p <; 0.001), respectively. The rotation around the distal-proximal axis has a different trend, where the difference in rotation amplitude between different number of finger conditions is over 50% (p <; 0.003), but the difference in object size conditions is only 10%. The results highlight that the orientation of the rotation axis has significant influence on the rotation capabilities of the human hand. In designing handheld tools and haptic devices one should carefully consider around which axes a rotation is required.
Collapse
|
13
|
Abstract
This paper is the first of a two-part series analyzing human grasping behavior during a wide range of unstructured tasks. The results help clarify overall characteristics of human hand to inform many domains, such as the design of robotic manipulators, targeting rehabilitation toward important hand functionality, and designing haptic devices for use by the hand. It investigates the properties of objects grasped by two housekeepers and two machinists during the course of almost 10,000 grasp instances and correlates the grasp types used to the properties of the object. We establish an object classification that assigns each object properties from a set of seven classes, including mass, shape and size of the grasp location, grasped dimension, rigidity, and roundness. The results showed that 55 percent of grasped objects had at least one dimension larger than 15 cm, suggesting that more than half of objects cannot physically be grasped using their largest axis. Ninety-two percent of objects had a mass of 500 g or less, implying that a high payload capacity may be unnecessary to accomplish a large subset of human grasping behavior. In terms of grasps, 96 percent of grasp locations were 7 cm or less in width, which can help to define requirements for hand rehabilitation and defines a reasonable grasp aperture size for a robotic hand. Subjects grasped the smallest overall major dimension of the object in 94 percent of the instances. This suggests that grasping the smallest axis of an object could be a reliable default behavior to implement in grasp planners.
Collapse
|
14
|
Lopresti-Goodman SM, Turvey MT, Frank TD. Negative hysteresis in the behavioral dynamics of the affordance "graspable". Atten Percept Psychophys 2013; 75:1075-91. [PMID: 23471744 DOI: 10.3758/s13414-013-0437-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
One commonly perceives whether a visible object will afford grasping with one hand or with both hands. In experiments in which differently sized objects of a fixed type are presented, the transition from using one of these manual modes to the other depends on the ratio of object size to hand span and on the presentation sequence, with size increasing versus decreasing. Conventional positive hysteresis (i.e., a larger transition ratio for the increasing sequence) can be accommodated by the order parameter dynamics that typify self-organizing systems (Lopresti-Goodman, Turvey, and Frank, Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics 73:1948-1965, 2011). Here we identified and addressed conditions of unconventional negative hysteresis (i.e., a larger transition ratio for the decreasing sequence). They suggest a second control parameter in the self-organization of affordance perception, one that is seemingly regulated by inhibitory dynamics occurring in the agent-task-environment system. Our experimental results and modeling extend the investigation of affordance perception within dynamical systems theory.
Collapse
|
15
|
Abstract
Multiple digital losses will result in crippled hand function and toe transfers are proven to provide replacement of prehensile function. Given that basic hand function requires three factors, viz. an ulnar component, a radial component and opposition, various toe transfers can accomplish thumb ray and ulnar digital defect restoration. Opponensplasty and interpositional suspension arthroplasty can provide circumduction to the thumb component required to perform prehensile functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Hung Lin
- Plastic Reconstructive Surgery, Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan County, Taiwan.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental and task modifications are powerful methods used to affect action in rehabilitation and are frequently used by therapists. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine and quantify the relationship between hand size (person characteristics) and object size (environmental characteristics) and the effect of this relationship on the emergent reaching patterns for children and adults with typical development. DESIGN This was a cross-sectional prospective study. METHODS Seventeen children and 20 adults participated and were required to reach and grasp 10 pairs of cubes of different sizes. The dimensionless ratios were calculated by dividing the cube size by the aperture between index finger and thumb to quantify emergent reach and grasp patterns. A critical ratio was used to establish the shift from a 1-handed to an exclusive 2-handed reach pattern. RESULTS The results demonstrated no significant difference in the mean critical ratios between the 2 groups. However, a 2-handed reach was used more frequently than a 1-handed reach at a significantly smaller ratio for children in comparison with adults. LIMITATIONS The relational metrics between the cube and hand are only one contribution to the emergent reaching and grasping patterns. CONCLUSIONS Children had more variability of reaching patterns than adults. A personal constraint, such as experience, and a task constraint of accuracy may account for the variability. The results encourage further research on body-scaled information for individuals with different personal constraints (eg, children with cerebral palsy) and the impact of body-scaled information on emergent actions.
Collapse
|
17
|
Lin CH, Lo S, Lin CH, Lin YT. Opponensplasty provides predictable opposable tripod pinch in toe transfer for proximal thumb ray defect reconstruction. Plast Reconstr Surg 2012; 130:810e-8e. [PMID: 23190832 DOI: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e31826d1628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thumb amputations proximal to the metacarpophalangeal joint inevitably result in destruction of the thenar musculature and secondary loss of opposition. Opposable tripod pinch is one of the essential goals in toe-to-thumb reconstruction. Pronation osteosynthesis is the traditional method of restoring opposition, but a simultaneous opponensplasty may turn this static process into a dynamic one. METHODS From 1992 to 2010, 19 toe-to-thumb transfers at and proximal to the metacarpophalangeal level with concomitant thenar muscle damage were examined. All underwent either pedicled groin flap (n = 16) or free flap (n = 3) surgery for amputation stump resurfacing. Nine transferred toes had a static opposition procedure with osteosynthesis by rotation of 30 to 60 degrees (group I). Ten transferred toes underwent an additional simultaneous opponensplasty to provide dynamic opposition (group II). RESULTS Seventy-eight percent (seven of nine) of group I and 100 percent of group II achieved opposable basic hand function and lateral pinch. In contrast, only 33 percent (three of nine) in group I regained tripod pinch grip compared with 90 percent (nine of 10) in group II, which was statistically significant (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS Primary opponensplasty in toe transfers provides active restoration of opposition and significantly better restoration of tripod pinch, in comparison with static opposition with osteosynthesis. It is therefore recommended that primary opponensplasty be performed at the time of toe transfer in such injuries. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic, III.
Collapse
|
18
|
Cabrera F, Sanabria F, Jiménez ÁA, Covarrubias P. An affordance analysis of unconditioned lever pressing in rats and hamsters. Behav Processes 2012; 92:36-46. [PMID: 23073500 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2012.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2012] [Revised: 09/23/2012] [Accepted: 10/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Two experiments were conducted to assess the effect of lever height on lever pressing that was not explicitly reinforced - i.e., operant-level responding. Two rodent species were used as subjects, rats (Experiment 1) and hamsters (Experiment 2), aiming to compare the behavioral support offered by one lever at various heights relative to the subjects' body size. Results showed that lever height had a substantial effect on response rate. The rate of lever pressing varied similarly for rats and hamsters as a function of lever height, when lever height was re-scaled relative to body size. The distribution of inter-response times showed that lever pressing was organized in bouts separated by pauses. This pattern of responding was accurately described in both experiments by a mixture of two exponential distributions. These findings support an analysis of affordances in non-human species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Cabrera
- University of Guadalajara, Laboratory of Comparative Cognition and Behavior, CUCI, Av. Universidad 1115, CP 47820, Ocotlán, Jalisco, Mexico.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Gilster R, Hesse C, Deubel H. Contact points during multidigit grasping of geometric objects. Exp Brain Res 2011; 217:137-51. [PMID: 22198529 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-011-2980-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2011] [Accepted: 12/03/2011] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the choice of contact points during multidigit grasping of different objects. In Experiment 1, cylinders were grasped and lifted. Participants were either instructed as to the number of fingers they should use, ranging from a two-finger grasp to a five-finger grasp, or could grasp with their preferred number of fingers. We found a strong relationship between the position of the fingertips on the object and the number of fingers used. In general, variability in the choice of contact points was low within- as well as between participants. The virtual finger, defined as the geometric mean position of fingers opposing the thumb, was in almost perfect opposition to the thumb, suggesting the formation of a functional unit using all contributing fingers in the grasp. In Experiment 2, four more complex shapes (rectangle, hexagon, pentagon, curved object) were grasped. Although we found some moderate between-participant variability in the choice of contact points, the within-participant variability was again remarkably low. In both experiments, participants showed a strong preference to use four or five fingers during grasping when left with free choice. Taken together, our findings suggest a preplanning of the grasping movement and that grasping results from a coordinated interplay between the fingers contributing to the grasp that cannot be understood as independent digit movements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- René Gilster
- General and Experimental Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Leopoldstr. 13, 80802, Munich, Germany.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
|
21
|
Cesari P, Pizzolato F, Fiorio M. Grip-dependent cortico-spinal excitability during grasping imagination and execution. Neuropsychologia 2011; 49:2121-30. [PMID: 21539850 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2011.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2011] [Revised: 03/31/2011] [Accepted: 04/13/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Studies converge in indicating a substantial similarity of the rules and mechanisms underlying execution, observation and imagery of actions, along with a large overlapping of their neural substrates. Recent transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies have demonstrated a muscle-specific facilitation of the observer's motor system for force requirement and type of grip during grasping observation. However, whether similar fine-tuned muscle-specificity occurs even during imagination, when subjects are free to select the most convenient grip configuration, is still unknown. Here we applied TMS over the primary motor cortex and measured the corticospinal excitability (MEP) in three muscles (FDI, ADM and FDS) while subjects imagined grasping spheres of different dimensions and materials. This range of object weights and sizes (diameters) allowed subjects to freely imagine the most suitable grip configuration among several possibilities. Activation measured during grasping imagination has been also compared to that obtained during real execution (EMG recorded from the same muscles). We found that during imagination of grasping small objects, the FDI muscle was more active than the ADM and the FDS, whereas the opposite pattern was found for big objects. Imagination of medium size objects, instead, required an equal involvement of the three muscles. The same pattern was observed when subjects were asked to perform the action. This suggests that during imagination, the cortico-spinal system is modulated in a muscle-specific/grip-specific way, as if the action would be really performed. However, when force was required (i.e., for the aluminum objects), the motor activation obtained during action execution was more fine-tuned to object dimensions than the facilitation recorded during imagination, suggesting a separate control of force production.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paola Cesari
- Department of Neurological, Neuropsychological, Morphological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Italy.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Abstract
We investigated strategies of adjustments in kinetic and kinematic patterns, and in multi-digit synergies during quick vertical transport of an instrumented handle that collapsed when the grasping force exceeded a certain magnitude (quantified with a fragility index). The collapse threshold of the object was set using a novel electromagnetic device. Moving a fragile object is viewed as a task with two constraints on the grip force defined by the slipping and crushing thresholds. When moving more fragile objects, subjects decreased object peak acceleration, increased movement time, showed a drop in the safety margin (SM) (extra force over the slipping threshold), and showed a tendency toward violating the minimum-jerk criterion. Linear regression analysis of grip force against load force has shown tight coupling between the two with a decline in the coefficient of determination with increased fragility index. The SM was lower in bimanual tasks, compared to unimanual tasks, for both fragile and non-fragile objects. Two novel indices have been introduced and studied, the SM due to fragility and the drop-crush index. Both indices showed a decrease with increased object fragility. Changes in the drop-crush index showed that the subjects would rather crush the fragile objects as opposed to dropping them, possibly reflecting the particular experimental procedure. We did not find differences between the performance indices of the dominant and non-dominant hand thus failing to support the recently formulated dominance hypothesis. The synergies stabilizing grip force were quantified at two levels of an assumed two-level control hierarchy using co-variation indices between elemental variables across trials. There were strong synergies at the upper level of the hierarchy (the task is shared between the opposing groups of digits) that weakened with an increase in object fragility. At the lower level (action of an effector is shared among the four fingers), higher fragility led to higher synergy indices. Analysis of force variance showed that an increase in object fragility was accompanied by exploring a smaller range of equivalent combinations of elemental variables. The additional constraint imposed by high fragility facilitated synergies at the lower level of the hierarchy, while there was evidence for a trade-off between synergies at the two levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stacey L Gorniak
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Frank TD, Richardson MJ, Lopresti-Goodman SM, Turvey MT. Order parameter dynamics of body-scaled hysteresis and mode transitions in grasping behavior. J Biol Phys 2009; 35:127-47. [PMID: 19669557 DOI: 10.1007/s10867-009-9133-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2008] [Accepted: 01/05/2009] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Several experimental studies have shown that human grasping behavior exhibits a transition from one-handed to two-handed grasping when to-be-grasped objects become larger and larger. The transition point depends on the relative size of objects measured in terms of human body-scales. Most strikingly, the transitions between the two different behavioral 'modes' of grasping exhibit hysteresis. That is, one-to-two hand transitions and two-to-one hand transitions occur at different relative object sizes when objects are scaled up or down in size. In our study we approach body-scaled hysteresis and mode transitions in grasping by exploiting the notion that human behavior in general results from self-organization and satisfies appropriately-defined order parameter equations. To this end, grasping transitions and grasping hysteresis are discussed from a theoretical perspective in analogy to cognitive processes defined by Haken's neural network model for pattern recognition. In doing so, issues such as the exclusivity of grasping modes, biomechanical constraints, mode-mode interactions, single subject behavior and population behavior are explored.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- T D Frank
- Center for the Ecological Study of Perception and Action, Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
Gorniak SL, Zatsiorsky VM, Latash ML. Hierarchical control of static prehension: II. Multi-digit synergies. Exp Brain Res 2009; 194:1-15. [PMID: 19048236 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-008-1663-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2008] [Accepted: 11/15/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the ability of the central nervous system (CNS) to organize synergies at two levels of a hypothetical control hierarchy involved in two-hand multi-finger prehension tasks with one or more persons participating in the task together. At the higher level of the hierarchy, the total force and moment of force produced on an object are distributed between the thumb and the virtual finger (an imagined finger with mechanical output equal to the involved fingers of the hand), while at the lower level the virtual finger action is distributed among the four fingers. We tested a hypothesis that the CNS is able to organize synergies at only one level of the hierarchy. The subjects held vertically one of the two handles, a narrow one and a wide one. They used the four fingers of the right hand opposed by the right hand thumb, the left hand thumb, the left hand index finger, the thumb of an experimenter, the index finger of an experimenter, or an inanimate object. Forces and moments of force produced by each digit were recorded. Indices of synergies stabilizing the mechanical output variables at each of the two levels were computed. Contrary to the expectations, force and moment of force stabilizing synergies were found at one or both levels of the hierarchy across all tasks. Unimanual tasks exhibited higher synergy indices compared to all tasks, while intrapersonal synergy indices were higher than those of interpersonal synergies. The results suggest that both feed-forward and feedback mechanisms may be used to create force and moment of force stabilizing synergies. We invoke the notion of chain effects and generalize it for relations among variance components related to stabilization of different mechanical variables. The reference configuration hypothesis offers a fruitful framework for analysis of prehension synergies.
Collapse
|
25
|
Abstract
Objective: To examine the effect of spoon-handle size on kinematic performance in people with Parkinson's disease. Design: A counterbalanced repeated-measures design. Setting: A motor control laboratory in a university setting. Subjects: Eighteen individuals with Parkinson's disease and 18 age-matched controls. Experimental conditions: Each participant was instructed to scoop water (simulated soup) using spoons with three different-sized handles. Main measures: Kinematic variables (movement time, peak velocity and number of movement units) of arm movement, size of hand aperture and number of fingers to grasp the spoon. Results: The movement of the participants with Parkinson's disease was faster (shorter movement time) and smoother (fewer movement units) when they used spoons with a small- or medium-sized handle than when using a spoon with a large-sized handle. In contrast, the healthy controls showed no significant differences in movement kinematics between handle sizes. Moreover, the participants with Parkinson's disease had a significantly smaller hand aperture and used more fingers to hold the spoons than the controls did. Conclusions: These results suggest that, for people with Parkinson's disease, a small-to-medium-sized handle is more suitable than a large-sized built-up handle.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Ing Ma
- Department of Occupational Therapy and Institute of Allied Health Sciences,
| | | | - Mei-Jin Chen-Sea
- Department of Occupational Therapy and Institute of Allied Health Sciences
| | - Ching-Fan Sheu
- Institute of Cognitive Science, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Abstract
The end-state comfort effect has been observed in recent studies of grip selection in adults. The present study investigated whether young children also exhibit sensitivity to end-state comfort. The task was to pick up an overturned cup from a table, turn the cup right side up, and pour water into it. Two age groups (N = 20 per group) were studied: preschool children (2-3 years old), and kindergarten students (5-6 years old). Each child performed three videotaped trials of the task. Only 11 of the 40 children exhibited the end-state comfort effect, and there were no differences between age groups. Results revealed the emergence of five different performance patterns, none of which were consistent with sensitivity to end-state comfort. The findings have implications for the advance planning of manual control in young children.
Collapse
|
27
|
Cesari P, Chiaromonte F, Newell KM. Support vector machines categorize the scaling of human grip configurations. Behav Res Methods 2007; 39:1001-7. [DOI: 10.3758/bf03192996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
|
28
|
Abstract
Prehension has traditionally been seen as the act of coordinated reaching and grasping. However, recently, Smeets and Brenner (in Motor Control 3:237-271, 1999) proposed that we might just as well look at prehension as the combination of two independently moving digits. The hand aperture that has featured prominently in many studies on prehension, according to Smeets and Brenner's "double-pointing hypothesis", is really an emergent property related to the time course of the positions of the two digits moving to their respective end points. We tested this double-pointing hypothesis by perturbing the end position of one of the digits while leaving the end position of the opposing digit unchanged. To this end, we had participants reach for and grasp a metallic object of which the side surfaces could be made to slide in and out. We administered the perturbation right after movement initiation. On several occasions, after perturbing the end position of one digit, we found effects also on the kinematics of the opposing digit. These findings are in conflict with Smeets and Brenner's double-pointing hypothesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cornelis van de Kamp
- Center for Human Movement Sciences, University of Groningen, PO Box 196, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands
| | | |
Collapse
|
29
|
Lee MH, Liu YT, Newell KM. Longitudinal expressions of infant's prehension as a function of object properties. Infant Behav Dev 2006; 29:481-93. [PMID: 17138301 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2006.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2005] [Revised: 04/12/2006] [Accepted: 05/19/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
|
30
|
Abstract
The present study aimed to determine whether grasping is based on either (1) synchronous finger movements producing stereotyped types of grasp, or (2) independently controlled finger movements producing variable final finger postures. Participants reached for and grasped sphere-shaped objects of three sizes. They were allowed to select three different grasp configurations: a "pinch" grip (thumb and index finger), a "middle" grip (thumb and middle finger) and a "tripod" grip (thumb and index plus middle finger). Object distance from the subject was varied in order to verify whether finger control and final finger postures varied according to the degree of accuracy required by target object distance. All the participants always selected the tripod grip when reaching for the large and medium size objects. The pinch grip was used by half of the participants when reaching for the small object, but only in 17% of the trials. Target object distance did not appear to influence the type of selected grip. The tripod grip was found to consist of two different components: an aperture component (opening and closing the gap between the thumb and opposition finger) and a finger separation component (increasing and decreasing the gap between the index and middle fingers). The timing of the aperture component was the same for the index and middle fingers. In contrast, the timing of the finger separation was weakly coupled with the aperture components. Moreover, the relative spatial position among the three fingers during and at the end of grasp varied according to object size. When grasping the large object, both the index finger and the middle finger were in opposition to the thumb. In contrast, when grasping the small object, the index finger was less in opposition to the thumb with respect to the middle finger. The final spatial position of the thumb relative to the starting position was independent of object size, whereas those of the index and middle fingers varied with object size. The results support the notion that grasp is accomplished by using two virtual fingers formed by the thumb and one or more other fingers that synchronously open and close on the object along the opposition space [Arbib 1990; in: Jeannerod M (ed) Attention and performance XIII: motor representation and control. Lawrence Erlbaum, Hillsdale, pp 111-138]. This suggests a degree of coupling between the control of the virtual fingers.
Collapse
|