Abstract
We report adaptation to delayed visual feedback during a manual tracking task, testing the nature of the adapted responses with frequency analysis. Two groups of seven subjects tracked unpredictable targets using a handheld joystick, alternating between pursuit and compensatory display trials. The test group then practised for 1 h per day with a visual feedback delay of 300 ms; the control group practice under normal undelayed conditions. Introduction of the visual feedback delay significantly disrupted tracking performance, with an increase in errors and a reduction in frequency of corrective movements. Subjects showed clear evidence of adaptation during the 5 day experiment, decreasing tracking error and decreasing the mean power of intermittent corrections. However, there was no evidence of a return towards the initial high frequency intermittent tracking. We suggest that the adaptation observed in this study reflects the modification of predictive feedforward actions, but that these data do not support control based on Smith Prediction.




Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bhushan N, Shadmehr R (1999) Computational nature of human adaptive control during learning of reaching movements in force fields. Biol Cybern 81:39–60
Cunningham DW, Chatziastros A, Heyde M, Bulthoff HH (2001) Driving in the future: temporal visuomotor adaptation and generalization. J Vis 1:88–98
Flanagan JR, Vetter P, Johansson RS, Wolpert DM (2003) Prediction precedes control in motor learning. Curr Biol 13:146–150
Foulkes AJ, Miall RC (2000) Adaptation to visual feedback delays in a human manual tracking task. Exp Brain Res 131:101–110
Haruno M, Wolpert DM, Kawato M (2001) Mosaic model for sensorimotor learning and control. Neural Comp 13:2201–2220
Miall RC (1996) Task-dependent changes in visual feedback control: a frequency analysis of human manual tracking. J Motor Behav 28:125–135
Miall RC, Weir DJ, Stein JF (1985) Visuomotor tracking with delayed visual feedback. Neuroscience 16:511–520
Miall RC, Weir DJ, Stein JF (1986) Manual tracking of visual targets by trained monkeys. Behav Brain Res 20:185–201
Miall RC, Weir DJ, Stein JF (1988) Planning of movement parameters in a visual tracking task. Behav Brain Res 27:1–8
Miall RC, Weir DJ, Stein JF (1993a) Intermittency in human manual tracking tasks. J Motor Behav 25:53–63
Miall RC, Weir DJ, Wolpert DM, Stein JF (1993b) Is the cerebellum a Smith predictor? J Motor Behav 25:203–216
Pew RW, Duffendack JC, Fensch LK (1967) Temporal limitations in human motor control. Psychonomic Society, Human Performanance Centre, University of Michigan
Poulton EC (1974) Tracking skill and manual control. Academic, London
Smith OJM (1959) A controller to overcome dead time. ISA J 6:28–33
Weir DJ, Stein JF, Miall RC (1989) Cues and control strategies in visually guided tracking. J Motor Behav 21(3):185–204
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust. JKJ was partly supported by the School of Psychology. We thank Jonathan Winter for expert technical assistance.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Miall, R.C., Jackson, J.K. Adaptation to visual feedback delays in manual tracking: evidence against the Smith Predictor model of human visually guided action. Exp Brain Res 172, 77–84 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-005-0306-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-005-0306-5