Do individual characteristics influence the beta-elliptic modeling errors during ellipse drawing movements?

Abstract

This paper investigates whether age, gender, and degree of familiarity with writing have an influence on the Beta-elliptic model errors during hand-drawing on a graphical tablet. A database of elliptical hand drawing movements was built within a sample of 99 participants aged between 19 and 85 years. Using the Beta-elliptic model, the velocity profile was modeled by overlapped Beta functions and the drawing trajectory was segmented between velocity extrema and each segment geometry was modeled by elliptic arcs. Average absolute and relative geometric, curvature and curvilinear velocity errors were 0.27 mm, 0.68%, 4.54 mm, 0.48%, 4.68 mm/s, and 8.79% respectively. Statistical analyses revealed not significant or low correlation between modeling errors and age and movement velocity, and no significant or low error differences according to gender or degree of familiarity with writing.