Search results for "sensorimotor learning"
showing 3 items of 3 documents
An Architecture for Observational Learning
2014
In this thesis I present an architecture that learns new skills through observation and adapts to the environment through situated experience in the world. Such an architectural growth is bootstrapped from a minimal initial knowledge and the architecture itself is built around the biologically-inspired notion of internal models. The key idea, supported by findings in cognitive neuroscience, is that the same internal models used in overt goal-directed action execution can be covertly re-enacted in simulation to observe and understand the actions of others. The system applies these concepts to learning higher order cognitive functions like learning problem solving skills and social interactio…
Somatosensory Training Improves Proprioception and Untrained Motor Function in Parkinsons Disease
2018
Background: Proprioceptive impairment is a common feature of Parkinson's disease (PD). Proprioceptive function is only partially restored with anti-parkinsonian medication or deep brain stimulation. Behavioral exercises focusing on somatosensation have been promoted to overcome this therapeutic gap. However, conclusive evidence on the effectiveness of such somatosensory-focused behavioral training for improving somatosensory function is lacking. Moreover, it is unclear, if such training has any effect on motor performance in PD.Objective: To investigate, whether proprioception improves with a somatosensory focused, robot-aided training in people with PD (PWPs), and whether enhanced proprioc…
Music-related motor skills in pianists - Predictors of skill acquisition in childhood and of maintenance in adulthood
2009
Background and Study Aims: Previous research on musical performance achievement has focused on the overall musical performance and on musical subskills. Two studies were conducted to identify predictors of motor skill acquisition in children pianists and of long-term development of motor skills in expert pianists in a relevant musical context. Methods: Motor skills at the piano were assessed in standardized C major scale playing. For each participant, overall temporal unevenness of note onsets was calculated as the median of the mean standard deviations of inter-onset intervals of both hands and playing directions. Study 1: Motor performance was tested in 30 piano playing children. Informat…