Planning and Control of Object Manipulation Tasks

对目标导向动作的控制的研究集中在指向物体的动作上。然而，大多数日常任务都涉及在定位、选择、抓握和操纵对象时与对象进行交互。理解大脑如何控制这些任务需要考虑感觉运动系统如何与认知系统相互作用，这些认知系统涉及在记忆中表示对象，搜索和选择要作用的对象，以及分配注意力资源。我的跨学科研究计划结合了行为实验、计算建模和神经成像，其广泛目标是了解大脑如何控制现实世界的行动任务。该提案概述了四个相互关联的项目，每个项目都解决了一个基本的研究问题，这些问题对于理解感觉运动和认知系统如何相互作用以计划和控制对象操作任务至关重要。** 现实世界的行动任务通常涉及在目标对象必须位于的杂乱环境中操作。虽然大量的研究已经调查了影响视觉搜索的因素，但对于在搜索目标物体时视觉搜索是如何组织的，我们知之甚少。项目1将测试一个新的假设，即在搜索目标物体时，运动因素会影响视觉搜索。每天的动作任务通常涉及从多个潜在目标对象中选择目标对象。有人认为，在选择目标之前，大脑会平行地呈现竞争选项。然而，支持这一挑衅性想法的证据一直模棱两可。项目2将通过使用fMRI评估主要运动区域是否代表动作选择之前的竞争运动计划来严格测试平行计划假设。熟练的操作需要形成物体动力学的记忆，将施加在物体上的力与其产生的运动联系起来。人们一直认为，这种记忆是与整个对象。然而，我们最近提供的证据表明，当控制物体上的不同位置或控制点时，可以形成多个运动记忆。项目3包括探索控制点关键特征的行为实验，以及旨在理解与控制点相关的多种运动记忆形成的神经基础的fMRI实验。在自然环境中，操纵任务与竞争注意力和凝视的其他任务并行执行。项目4的目的是了解在这种多任务环境中，决定我们何时何地注视的因素。我们将研究在与其他任务并行执行操作任务时的眼手协调，目的是确定凝视在支持手动操作中的关键功能。**这些项目将由学员领导，他们将获得使用最先进技术和方法的专业知识。

Research on the control of goal-directed action has focused on reaching movements directed towards objects. However, most daily tasks involve interacting with objects as they are located and selected, grasped, and manipulated. Understanding how the brain controls such tasks requires considering how the sensorimotor system interacts with cognitive systems involved in representing objects in memory, searching for and selecting which object to act on, and allocating attentional resources. The broad goal of my interdisciplinary research program, which combines behavioural experiments, computational modelling, and neuroimaging, is to understand how the brain controls real-world action tasks. This proposal outlines four inter-related projects, each tackling a fundamental research question critical to understanding how sensorimotor and cognitive systems interact to plan and control object manipulation tasks. ******Real-world action tasks often involve operating in cluttered environments in which target objects must be located. Although a large body of research has investigated factors that shape visual search, little is known about how visual search is organized when scanning for target objects that will actually be acted upon once found. Project 1 will test the novel hypothesis that motor factors influence visual search when searching for target objects to be acted upon.******Every day action tasks often involve selecting a target object from among multiple potential target objects. It has been suggested that, prior to selecting a target, the brain represents competing options in parallel. However, the evidence supporting this provocative idea have been equivocal. Project 2 will critically test the parallel planning hypothesis by assessing, using fMRI, whether primary motor areas represent competing motor plans prior to action selection.******Skilled manipulation requires forming memories of object dynamics, linking the force applied to an object to it resulting motion. It has been assumed that such memories are associated with entire objects. However, we recently provided evidence that multiple motor memories can be formed when controlling different locations, or control points, on an object. Project 3 includes behavioural experiments to probe the key features of control points, and fMRI experiments aimed at understanding the neural bases of multiple motor memory formation linked to control points.******In natural settings, manipulation tasks are performed in parallel with other tasks that compete for attention and gaze. The aim of Project 4 is to understand the factors that determine when and where we direct our gaze in such multi-tasking contexts. We will examine eye-hand coordination when performing manipulation tasks in parallel with other tasks, with the goal of determining the critical functions of gaze in supporting manual performance.******These projects will be lead by trainees who will gain expertise working with state-of-the-art techniques and approaches.**