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The coordination of eye, head and hand movements in a natural task
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@Article{Pelz:01,
  author = 	 {Jeff Pelz and Mary M. Hayhoe and Russ Loeber},
  title = 	 {The coordination of eye, head and hand movements in a natural task},
  journal = 	 {Experimental Bain Research},
  year = 	 {2001},
  volume = 	 {139},
  number = 	 {3},
  pages = 	 {266 - 277},
  abstract =     {Relatively little is known about movements of 
the eyes, head, and hands in natural tasks. Normal
behavior requires spatial and temporal coordination of 
the movements in more complex circumstances than are 
typically studied, and usually provides the opportunity 
for motor planning. Previous studies of natural tasks 
have indicated that the parameters of eye and head 
movements are set by global task constraints. In this 
experiment, we explore the temporal coordination of eye, 
head, and hand movements while subjects performed a 
simple block-copying task. The task involved fixations 
to gather information about the pattern, as well as visually 
guided hand movements to pick up and place blocks. 
Subjects used rhythmic patterns of eye, head, and hand 
movements in a fixed temporal sequence or coordinative 
structure. However, the pattern varied according to the
immediate task context. Coordination was maintained by 
delaying the hand movements until the eye was available
for guiding the movement. This suggests that observers 
maintain coordination by setting up a temporary, task- 
specific synergy between the eye and hand. Head move- 
ments displayed considerable flexibility and frequently
diverged from the gaze change, appearing instead to be 
linked to the hand trajectories. This indicates that the 
coordination of eye and head in gaze changes is usually 
the consequence of a synergistic linkage rather than an 
obligatory one. These temporary synergies simplify the 
coordination problem by reducing the number of control 
variables, and consequently the attentional demands, 
necessary for the task.                              
}