English Theme 45 3.11-p.87 Date: June 5, 2007 Room: 8-405 Instructor: Mafuyu Kitahara Material: Thelen, E. (1995) “Time-scale dynamics and the development of an embodied cognition” in R. Port and T. van Gelder (eds.) Mind as motion, Cambridge: MIT Press

3.11 Learning about forces Reaching: complicated coordination Get the position of the target through the eyes Transduce the coordinates: head-eye to shoulder-hand system Control a highly non-linear arm system Joints: shoulder, elbow, wrist... angle Weight: balance of the body Perturbations: all connected, not independent How is it possible? Prescribed? ... Who designed it?

Dynamical perspective Reach attractor Which are critical? Record all movements and find new form arising Findings Start from ongoing movements, not from ZERO Individual differences Adjusting limb forces to the task

Gabriel: an active guy Oscillating spring Limit cycle Damped system