TITLE:
Neural and Spinal Modules in Implementation of a Simple Ballistic Movement
AUTHORS:
Hooshang Hemami, Behzad Dariush
KEYWORDS:
Arm Model, Ballistic Movement, Event Timing, Neural Modules and Spinal Reflex
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Software Engineering and Applications,
Vol.9 No.7,
July
19,
2016
ABSTRACT: A simple ballistic movement and two of its
attributes (namely, reversal in time and synchronization with external events)
are formulated. A three-dimensional, three-link musculoskeletal arm is
subjected to a fast ballistic type movement. The central components of the
movement from hippocampal, cerebellar, basal ganglia and reticular formation
structures that may be involved in timing are identified. The role of agonist
muscles and spinal reflexes in the execution of ballistic movements (namely, in
fast starts and fast stops) is discussed. The needed three time intervals are
constructed in real time and can be coordinated with external events. Delaying
or advancing in time, synchronization, time scaling and inverting events in
time relative to the movement is formulated. Digital computer simulations are
presented to test the behavior of the formulated neural and spinal processing
and demonstrate the behavior of the arm under such control.