title: Eye-hand coordination in rhythmical pointing.
abstract: The authors investigated the relation between hand kinematics and eye movements in 2 variants of a rhythmical Fitts's task in which eye movements were necessary or not necessary. P. M. Fitts's (1954) law held in both conditions with similar slope and marginal differences in hand-kinematic patterns and movement continuity. Movement continuity and eye-hand synchronization were more directly related to movement time than to task index of difficulty. When movement time was decreased to fewer than 350 ms, eye-hand synchronization switched from continuous monitoring to intermittent control. The 1:1 frequency ratio with stable pi/6 relative phase changed for 1:3 and 1:5 frequency ratios with less stable phase relations. The authors conclude that eye and hand movements in a rhythmical Fitts's task are dynamically synchronized to produce the best behavioral performance.
authors.affiliation: EA 2991 Efficience et déficience motrices, Université Montpellier 1, France.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lazzari
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mottet
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Vercher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D030141:Feedback, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007699:Kinesthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology; D046709:Pattern Recognition, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult