Grantee Type:

Scholar

Home Institution:

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Host Country, Institution:

United Kingdom, University of Cambridge

Year:

2006

Project Title:

Modular Decomposition in Human Sensorimotor Learning and Control

Project Abstract:

The program objective is to investigate the engineering processes involved in human sensorimotor control. Humans exhibit an enormous repertoire of motor behavior which enables us to interact with many different objects in a variety of different environments. Based on a computational model of learning it has been demonstrated that the sensorimotor system uses a modular decomposition strategy, in which a complex task is divided into simpler subtasks. Taking this viewpoint, we will determine whether a single functional controller represents the whole arm or parts of the arm. Secondly, we will investigate whether the motor learning system is capable of combining compact representations into more complex behaviors.