Human Control Law and Brain Activity of Voluntary Motion by Utilizing a Balancing Task with an Inverted Pendulum

Human characteristics concerning voluntary motion control are investigated, because this motion is fundamental for the machineoperation and human-computer system. Using a force feedback haptic device and a balancing task of a virtual inverted pendulum,participants were trained in the task, and hand motion/force was measured, and brain activity was monitored. First, through brainanalysis by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and motion analysis of the pendulum, we identified a participant who was the mostexpert. Next, control characteristics of the most expert were investigated by considering the operational force and delay factorof a human. As a result, it was found that predictive control based on velocity information was used predominantly although aperception feedback control against the pendulum posture worked. And it was shown that an on-off intermittency control, whichwas a strategy for the skilled balancing, can be described well by a liner model involving two types of time shifts for the position andvelocity. In addition, it was confirmed that the cortex activity for observation in an ocular motor control area and visual processingarea was strong to enhance above-mentioned control strategies.