Increasingly complex bimanual multi-frequency coordination patterns are equally easy to perform with on-line relative velocity feedback

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to determine whether multi-frequency continuous bimanual circling movements of varying difficulty (1:2, 2:3, 3:4, and 4:5) could be effectively performed following relatively little practice when on-line continuous relative velocity feedback is provided. The between-subjects results indicate extremely effective bimanual multi-frequency performance for all coordination patterns with relatively stable and continuous movements of both limbs. The findings suggest that the previous performance effects using Lissajous feedback with reciprocal movement can be extended to circling movements using on-line relative velocity feedback. Contrary to the long-held position that these coordination patterns result in increasing difficulty, we failed to find systematic relative velocity error, variability, or bias differences between the participants performing the various multi-frequency coordination patterns. Indeed, coordination error, variability, and biases were remarkably low for each of the tasks. The results clearly indicate the ease with which participants are able to produce bimanual coordination patterns typically considered difficult if not impossible when salient visual information is provided that allows the participants to detect and correct their coordination errors.