Computational Mechanisms of Eye-Hand Coordination

Eye-hand coordination is a crucial aspect of daily activities and survival for primates, including humans. While eye and hand movements can be made independently, a tight coupling between the two is observed in tasks that require manipulating objects in external space. This coordination is facilitated by the retina's maximum visual acuity being located in the centre or fovea, where there is a maximum concentration of photoreceptors. To obtain high-resolution information about the position of objects in peripersonal space, the eye is rapidly rotated in the orbit to redirect the fovea to specific regions in the visual periphery, a movement called a saccadic eye movement. This tight coupling between the saccadic eye and hand movements is essential for complex actions, including making sandwiches or swinging from one branch to another. The coordination between eye and hand movements has been favored by natural selection, as it facilitates survival among primates, including humans. Understanding the computational mechanisms behind eye-hand coordination can help improve robotic and artificial intelligence technologies.