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Llobera J, Charbonnier C. Physics-based character animation and human motor control. Phys Life Rev 2023; 46:190-219. [PMID: 37480729 DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2023.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Motor neuroscience and physics-based character animation (PBCA) approach human and humanoid control from different perspectives. The primary goal of PBCA is to control the movement of a ragdoll (humanoid or animal) applying forces and torques within a physical simulation. The primary goal of motor neuroscience is to understand the contribution of different parts of the nervous system to generate coordinated movements. We review the functional principles and the functional anatomy of human motor control and the main strategies used in PBCA. We then explore common research points by discussing the functional anatomy and ongoing debates in motor neuroscience from the perspective of PBCA. We also suggest there are several benefits to be found in studying sensorimotor integration and human-character coordination through closer collaboration between these two fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Llobera
- Artanim Foundation, 40, chemin du Grand-Puits, 1217 Meyrin - Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Caecilia Charbonnier
- Artanim Foundation, 40, chemin du Grand-Puits, 1217 Meyrin - Geneva, Switzerland
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2
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Playing the mirror game in virtual reality with an autonomous character. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21329. [PMID: 36494394 PMCID: PMC9734752 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25197-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Perceptual-motor synchronisation in human groups is crucial in many activities, from musical ensembles to sports teams. To this aim, the mirror game, where partners are asked to imitate each other's movements or gestures, is one of the best available experimental paradigms to study how humans engage in joint tasks and how they tend to synchronise their behaviour. However, to date, virtual reality characters do not engage in motor synchronisation with human users. In this work, we explored to what extent an autonomous virtual character and a human that play the mirror game in virtual reality can synchronise their behaviour. We created a full-body version of the mirror game with an autonomous virtual character, whose movements were driven by a model based on coupled oscillators. Participants engaged in a joint imitation task with a virtual player animated with one of three options: a model that included a small coupling, a model with no coupling, or another human. Behavioural measures and subjective reports suggest that participants were unable to distinguish the condition of small coupling from the engagement with an avatar driven by another human participant.
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Lima IDDA, Ponce de Leon CGRM, Ribeiro LM, Silva ICRD, Vilela DM, Fonseca LMM, Góes FDSND, Funghetto SS. A Serious Game (Immunitates) About Immunization: Development and Validation Study. JMIR Serious Games 2022; 10:e30738. [PMID: 35179496 PMCID: PMC8900905 DOI: 10.2196/30738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Vaccination is a fundamental part of all levels—local to worldwide—of public health, and it can be considered one of humanity's greatest achievements in the control and elimination of infectious diseases. Teaching immunization and vaccination can be monotonous and tiring. It is necessary to develop new approaches for teaching these themes in nursing school. Objective We aimed to develop and validate a serious game about immunization and vaccination for Brazilian nursing students. Methods We developed a quiz-type game, Immunitates, using design and educational theoretical models and Brazilian National Health Guidelines. The game’s heuristics and content were evaluated with 2 different instruments by a team of experts. A sample of nursing students evaluated the validity of the game’s heuristics only. We calculated the content validity index (CVI) for each evaluation. Results The study included 49 experts and 15 nursing students. All evaluations demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach α≥.86). The game’s heuristics (experts: CVI 0.75-1.0; students: CVI 0.67-1.0) and the game’s contents demonstrated validity (experts: CVI 0.73-1.0). Participants identified some specific areas for improvement in the next version. Conclusions The serious game appears to be valid. It is intended as a support tool for nursing students in the teaching–learning process and as a tool for continuing education for nurses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Silvana Schwerz Funghetto
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences and Technologies, Ceilândia College, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
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Lombardi M, Liuzza D, Bernardo MD. Using Learning to Control Artificial Avatars in Human Motor Coordination Tasks. IEEE T ROBOT 2021. [DOI: 10.1109/tro.2021.3073771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Lombardi M, Liuzza D, di Bernardo M. Dynamic Input Deep Learning Control of Artificial Avatars in a Multi-Agent Joint Motor Task. Front Robot AI 2021; 8:665301. [PMID: 34434967 PMCID: PMC8381333 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2021.665301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In many real-word scenarios, humans and robots are required to coordinate their movements in joint tasks to fulfil a common goal. While several examples regarding dyadic human robot interaction exist in the current literature, multi-agent scenarios in which one or more artificial agents need to interact with many humans are still seldom investigated. In this paper we address the problem of synthesizing an autonomous artificial agent to perform a paradigmatic oscillatory joint task in human ensembles while exhibiting some desired human kinematic features. We propose an architecture based on deep reinforcement learning which is flexible enough to make the artificial agent interact with human groups of different sizes. As a paradigmatic coordination task we consider a multi-agent version of the mirror game, an oscillatory motor task largely used in the literature to study human motor coordination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lombardi
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Davide Liuzza
- ENEA Fusion and Nuclear Safety Department, Frascati, Italy
| | - Mario di Bernardo
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,Scuola Superiore Meridionale, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Słowiński P, Al-Ramadhani S, Tsaneva-Atanasova K. Neurologically Motivated Coupling Functions in Models of Motor Coordination. SIAM JOURNAL ON APPLIED DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS 2020; 19:208-232. [PMID: 31992962 PMCID: PMC6986925 DOI: 10.1137/19m1279381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
We present an analysis of two Haken-Kelso-Bunz (HKB) oscillators coupled by a neurologically motivated function. We study the effect of time delay and weighted self-feedback and mutual feedback on the synchronization behavior of the model. We focus on identifying parameter regimes supporting experimentally observed decrease in oscillation amplitude and loss of anti-phase stability that has inspired the development of the HKB model. We show that a combination of cross-talk and nonlinearity in the coupling, along with physiologically relevant time delay, is able to quantitatively account for both drop in oscillation amplitude and loss of anti-phase stability in a frequency dependent manner. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the transition between discrete and rhythmic movements could be captured by this model. To this end, we carry out theoretical and numerical analysis of the emergence of in-phase and anti-phase oscillations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Słowiński
- Department of Mathematics and the Living Systems Institute, Translational Research Exchange @Exeter, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK (http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/pms210)
| | - Sohaib Al-Ramadhani
- Department of Mathematics, College of Education for Pure Science, University of Mosul, Mosul, 41002, Iraq
| | - Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova
- Department of Mathematics and the Living Systems Institute, EPSRC Centre for Predictive Modelling in Healthcare, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK (http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298)
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Alderisio F, Fiore G, Salesse RN, Bardy BG, Bernardo MD. Interaction patterns and individual dynamics shape the way we move in synchrony. Sci Rep 2017; 7:6846. [PMID: 28754908 PMCID: PMC5533803 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-06559-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
An important open problem in Human Behaviour is to understand how coordination emerges in human ensembles. This problem has been seldom studied quantitatively in the existing literature, in contrast to situations involving dual interaction. Here we study motor coordination (or synchronisation) in a group of individuals where participants are asked to visually coordinate an oscillatory hand motion. We separately tested two groups of seven participants. We observed that the coordination level of the ensemble depends on group homogeneity, as well as on the pattern of visual couplings (who looked at whom). Despite the complexity of social interactions, we show that networks of coupled heterogeneous oscillators with different structures capture well the group dynamics. Our findings are relevant to any activity requiring the coordination of several people, as in music, sport or at work, and can be extended to account for other perceptual forms of interaction such as sound or feel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Alderisio
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, Merchant Venturers Building, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 1UB, United Kingdom
| | - Gianfranco Fiore
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, Merchant Venturers Building, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 1UB, United Kingdom
| | - Robin N Salesse
- EuroMov, Montpellier University, 700 Avenue du Pic Saint-Loup, 34090, Montpellier, France
| | - Benoît G Bardy
- EuroMov, Montpellier University, 700 Avenue du Pic Saint-Loup, 34090, Montpellier, France.,Institut Universitaire de France, 1 rue Descartes, 75231, Paris Cedex 05, France
| | - Mario di Bernardo
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, Merchant Venturers Building, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 1UB, United Kingdom. .,Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Claudio 21, 80125, Naples, Italy.
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Alderisio F, Lombardi M, Fiore G, di Bernardo M. A Novel Computer-Based Set-Up to Study Movement Coordination in Human Ensembles. Front Psychol 2017. [PMID: 28649217 PMCID: PMC5465282 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Existing experimental works on movement coordination in human ensembles mostly investigate situations where each subject is connected to all the others through direct visual and auditory coupling, so that unavoidable social interaction affects their coordination level. Here, we present a novel computer-based set-up to study movement coordination in human groups so as to minimize the influence of social interaction among participants and implement different visual pairings between them. In so doing, players can only take into consideration the motion of a designated subset of the others. This allows the evaluation of the exclusive effects on coordination of the structure of interconnections among the players in the group and their own dynamics. In addition, our set-up enables the deployment of virtual computer players to investigate dyadic interaction between a human and a virtual agent, as well as group synchronization in mixed teams of human and virtual agents. We show how this novel set-up can be employed to study coordination both in dyads and in groups over different structures of interconnections, in the presence as well as in the absence of virtual agents acting as followers or leaders. Finally, in order to illustrate the capabilities of the architecture, we describe some preliminary results. The platform is available to any researcher who wishes to unfold the mechanisms underlying group synchronization in human ensembles and shed light on its socio-psychological aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Alderisio
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of BristolBristol, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Lombardi
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University of Naples Federico IINaples, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Fiore
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of BristolBristol, United Kingdom
| | - Mario di Bernardo
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of BristolBristol, United Kingdom.,Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University of Naples Federico IINaples, Italy
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Alderisio F, Lombardi M, Fiore G, di Bernardo M. A Novel Computer-Based Set-Up to Study Movement Coordination in Human Ensembles. Front Psychol 2017; 8:967. [PMID: 28649217 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00967/bibtex] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/26/2017] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Existing experimental works on movement coordination in human ensembles mostly investigate situations where each subject is connected to all the others through direct visual and auditory coupling, so that unavoidable social interaction affects their coordination level. Here, we present a novel computer-based set-up to study movement coordination in human groups so as to minimize the influence of social interaction among participants and implement different visual pairings between them. In so doing, players can only take into consideration the motion of a designated subset of the others. This allows the evaluation of the exclusive effects on coordination of the structure of interconnections among the players in the group and their own dynamics. In addition, our set-up enables the deployment of virtual computer players to investigate dyadic interaction between a human and a virtual agent, as well as group synchronization in mixed teams of human and virtual agents. We show how this novel set-up can be employed to study coordination both in dyads and in groups over different structures of interconnections, in the presence as well as in the absence of virtual agents acting as followers or leaders. Finally, in order to illustrate the capabilities of the architecture, we describe some preliminary results. The platform is available to any researcher who wishes to unfold the mechanisms underlying group synchronization in human ensembles and shed light on its socio-psychological aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Alderisio
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of BristolBristol, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Lombardi
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University of Naples Federico IINaples, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Fiore
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of BristolBristol, United Kingdom
| | - Mario di Bernardo
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of BristolBristol, United Kingdom
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University of Naples Federico IINaples, Italy
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