Modeling of Human-Like Reaching Movements in the Manipulation of Flexible Objects

The paper presents an analysis of human reaching movements in the manipulation of flexible objects. Two models, the minimum hand jerk and the minimum driving force-change, are derived and their basic features are analyzed. It is shown that the first model features two-phased hand velocity profiles, while in the second models there are multiple phases. The analysis of the phase transitions for the models considered is done in the analytical form. The results of this analysis can be helpful in the design of experimental scenarios for the verification of the theoretical models. Finally, we present some initial experimental results and analyze the applicability of the models developed in this paper