The primary thrust of this project is to advance our understanding of the notion of synergy as the basic mechanism for overcoming the notorious redundancy of the neuro-muscular system for production of voluntary movements. They use the framework of the equilibrium-point hypothesis, to generalize it for multi-joint movements, and to suggest an explicit relation among control variables to individual joints as the basis for a simple synergy. This definition leads to a number of refutable specific hypotheses that are going to be addressed. Previous work analyzed kinematics and EMG patterns of the synergy. To make the next step, they plan to use the results of earlier studies which involved a method for the reconstruction of the hypothetical control patterns during single-joint movements and suggest a model predicting the EMG patterns based on the control signals and actual joint kinematics. They plan to reconstruct the hypothetical control patterns for each joint in a variety of conditions using a second-order joint model and inverse dynamics. Reconstructed patterns will then be used for calculations of EMG patterns which will be compared to experimental observations. They plan to apply these methods to unidirectional voluntary movements in a variety of experimental conditions and under different instructions, to motor tasks requiring application of isometric force, to motor tasks involving unexpectedly changed loading conditions, and to whole-arm movements involving all three major joints.
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