title: Internal models and prediction of visual gravitational motion.
abstract: Baurès et al. [Baurès, R., Benguigui, N., Amorim, M.-A., & Siegler, I. A. (2007). Intercepting free falling objects: Better use Occam's razor than internalize Newton's law. Vision Research, 47, 2982-2991] rejected the hypothesis that free-falling objects are intercepted using a predictive model of gravity. They argued instead for "a continuous guide for action timing" based on visual information updated till target capture. Here we show that their arguments are flawed, because they fail to consider the impact of sensori-motor delays on interception behaviour and the need for neural compensation of such delays. When intercepting a free-falling object, the delays can be overcome by a predictive model of the effects of gravity on target motion.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Neurophysiology, Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Ardeatina 306, 00179 Rome, Italy. m.zago@hsantalucia.it <m.zago@hsantalucia.it>
authors.forename: Myrka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zago
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McIntyre
authors.forename: Patrice
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Senot
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lacquaniti
mesh_terms: D018466:Gravity Sensing; D006801:Humans; D008959:Models, Neurological; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009039:Motion Perception; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011601:Psychophysics