Experimental study on human arm motions in positioning

  • Shibata, S. (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tohoku University) ;
  • Ohba, K. (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tohoku University) ;
  • Inooka, H. (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tohoku University)
  • Published : 1993.10.01

Abstract

In this paper, characteristics of the motions of a human arm are investigated experimentally. When the conditions of the target point are restricted, human adjusts its trajectory and velocity pattern of the arm to fit the conditions skillfully. The purpose of this work is to examine the characteristics of the trajectory, velocity pattern, and the size of the duration in the following cases. First, we examine the case of point-to-point motion. The results are consistent with the minimum jerk theory. However, individual differences in the length of the duration can be observed in the experiment. Second, we examine the case which requires accuracy of positioning at the target point. It is found that the velocity pattern differs from the bell shaped pattern explained by the minimum jerk theory, and has its peak in the first half of the duration. When higher accuracy of the positioning is required, learning effects can be observed. Finally, to examine the case which requires constraint of the arm posture at the target point, we conduct experiments of a human trying to grasp a cup. It is considered that this motion consists of two steps : one is the positioning motion of the person in order to start the grasping motion, the other is the grasping motion of the human's hand approaching toward the cup and grasping it. In addition, two representative velocity patterns are observed : one is the similar velocity pattern explained in the above experiment, the other is the velocity pattern which has its relative maximum in the latter half of the duration.

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