The Organization of a Simple Synergy

描述（由申请人提供）：在之前的支持期间，我们已经介绍，探索和发展了一种基于丰度原理和使用不受控制流形假设的计算工具的运动协同作用方法。现在我们建议把重点放在三个主要目标上。首先，我们计划分析控制层次中不同层次的协同作用的相互作用。其次，我们将探讨使用协同控制的目的和好处，以更接近于将这些思想应用于日常运动和无序运动。第三，我们将探讨离散和循环两类基本行动所涉及的协同效应之间的差异。计划中的实验将解决以下主要问题：协同效应的目的是什么？控制层级中不同层次的协同效应如何相互作用？在循环作用和离散作用中，协同作用机制有质的区别吗？我们将使用我们小组建造的几种新型实验装置，如“逆钢琴”，“折叠杯”和“带弹簧传感器的手柄”，进行8次实验。每个实验将测试2-4个特定的假设。这项研究的长期目标是发展一个连贯的理论观点，并推进当前对自然多效应器人类运动如何被控制和协调的理解。形成这样一种观点将对预防和治疗运动障碍的实践产生深远的影响。这些研究也将有助于开发一个工具箱来研究未受损和障碍运动期间的运动协同作用。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): During the previous period of support, we have introduced, explored, and developed an approach to motor synergies based on the principle of abundance and using the computational tools of the uncontrolled manifold hypothesis. Now we suggest focusing on three major goals. First, we plan to analyze interaction of synergies at different levels of a control hierarchy. Second, we will explore the purposes and benefits of using synergic control to move closer to application of these ideas to everyday movements and disordered movements. Third, we will explore differences between the synergies involved in two basic classes of actions, discrete and cyclic. The planned experiments will address the following main questions: What is the purpose of synergies? How do synergies at different levels of a control hierarchy interact with each other? Are there qualitative differences in the synergic mechanisms during cyclic and discrete actions? We will perform eight experiments using several of the novel experimental devices constructed in our group, such as the "inverse piano", the "collapsing cup", and the "handle with spring-loaded sensors". Each experiment will test 2-4 specific hypotheses. The long-term goal of this research is to develop a coherent theoretical view on and advance the current understanding of how natural multieffector human movements are controlled and coordinated. Developing such a view would have a profound impact on the practice of preventing and treating motor disorders. These studies will also contribute to developing a toolbox to study motor synergies during both unimpaired and disordered movements.