Sensorimotor synchronisation

Robotic operations carried out via the Internet face several challenges and difficulties. These range from human-computer interfacing and human-robot interaction to overcoming random time delay and task synchronization. These limitations are intensified when multi-operators at multisites are collaboratively teleoperating multirobots to achieve a certain task. In this paper, a new modeling and control method for Internet-based cooperative teleoperation is developed. Combining Petri net model and event-based ...

The present study focuses on the intricate relationship between human body movement and music, in particular on how music may influence the way humans walk. In an experiment, participants were asked to synchronize their walking tempo with the tempo of musical and ...

Timing abilities are often measured by having participants tap their finger along with a metronome and presenting tap-triggered auditory feedback. These experiments predominantly use electronic percussion pads combined with software (e.g., FTAP or Max/MSP) that records responses and delivers auditory feedback. However, these setups involve unknown latencies between tap onset and auditory feedback and can sometimes miss responses or record multiple superfluous responses for a single tap. These issues may distort measurements of tapping performance or affect the performance of the individual. We present an alternative setup using an Arduino microcontroller that addresses these issues and delivers low-latency auditory feedback. We validated our setup by having participants (N=6) tap on a force sensitive resistor pad connected to the Arduino and on an electronic percussion pad with various levels of force and tempi. The Arduino delivered auditory feedback through a pulse-width modulation (PWM) pin connected to a headphone jack or a Wave Shield component. The Arduino’s PWM (M=0.6ms, SD=0.3) and Wave Shield (M=2.6ms, SD=0.3) demonstrated significantly lower auditory feedback latencies than the percussion pad (M=9.1ms, SD=2.0), FTAP (M=14.6ms, SD=2.8), and Max/MSP (M=15.8ms, SD=3.4). The PWM and Wave Shield latencies were significantly less variable than FTAP and Max/MSP. The Arduino missed significantly fewer taps, and recorded fewer superfluous responses, than the percussion pad. The Arduino captured all responses whereas, at lower tapping forces, the percussion pad missed more taps. Regardless of tapping force, the Arduino outperformed the percussion pad. Overall, the Arduino is a high-precision, low-latency, portable, and affordable tool for auditory experiments.