Abstract
Tool use brings challenges to human movement control. Mental calibrations are constantly needed to incorporate tool properties into the movement system. This project examines the accuracy of mental calibrations and studies the impact of tool use on the movement control. Eight university students were instructed to perform a matching task using a hand-held grasper. The grasper had a changeable hinge that alters the length ratios of the tool for different trials. Throughout the matching, visual feedback regarding the hand position and tool was not available. The matching accuracy was significantly reduced when using the grasper compared to using the hand directly. This indicates that the mental calibration is not as accurate as visual or proprioception for guiding movement. No significant matching difference was observed as a function of length ratios of the grasper, suggesting similar steps were involved in the mental calibration process for one kind of tool property.
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