Comparison of error-amplification and haptic-guidance training techniques for learning of a timing-based motor task by healthy individuals

Abstract

Performance errors drive motor learning for many tasks. Some researchers have suggested that reducing performance errors with haptic guidance can benefit learning by demonstrating correct movements, while others have suggested that artificially increasing errors will force faster and more complete learning. This study compared the effect of these two techniques--haptic guidance and error amplification--as healthy subjects learned to play a computerized pinball-like game. The game required learning to press a button using wrist movement at the correct time to make a flipper hit a falling ball to a randomly positioned target. Errors were decreased or increased using a robotic device that retarded or accelerated wrist movement, based on sensed movement initiation timing errors. After training with either error amplification or haptic guidance, subjects significantly reduced their timing errors and generalized learning to untrained targets. However, for a subset of more skilled subjects, training with amplified errors produced significantly greater learning than training with the reduced errors associated with haptic guidance, while for a subset of less skilled subjects, training with haptic guidance seemed to benefit learning more. These results suggest that both techniques help enhanced performance of a timing task, but learning is optimized if training subjects with the appropriate technique based on their baseline skill level.

AFFECT: Altered-Fidelity Framework for Enhancing Cognition and Training

“…In their study, Milot et al (2010) found that training with the haptic guidance technique significantly reduced errors with regard to pressing the button to activate the virtual flipper on time. In comparison to the error amplification technique, they found that haptic guidance was more beneficial for a subset of less-skilled players.…”

“…case study #3: Pinball game simulator Milot et al (2010) developed a pinball game simulator to investigate the effects of haptic guidance and error amplification on training motor skills. The concept of haptic guidance is to use force feedback to guide the user's movements in order to demonstrate a desired movement trajectory to the motor system for later imitation.…”

“…In order to evaluate the effects of haptic guidance and error amplification, Milot et al (2010) developed a computerized pinball game consisting of five bumper targets (shown one at a time), a virtual pinball, and a virtual flipper. The game was viewed via a computer monitor.…”

A Survey of Multimodal Systems and Techniques for Motor Learning

“…Instead, the practice of adaptive haptic guidance, or the use of haptic signals to navigate a user through a motion task based on the user's skill level, has been suggested as a more scalable approach, so long as it is delivered on an as-needed basis [62]. It can be demonstrated that this implementation of haptic feedback does not lose effectiveness if the complexity of the signal matches the complexity of the motion task [63]. One example of such guidance is a haptic tunnel in which a user's motion can be considered correct in the 3D spatial domain [64].…”

Retraining of interjoint arm coordination after stroke using robot-assisted time-independent functional training

“…Since nondisabled subjects can already perform all the commonly used movements targeted for functional training in patients with stroke, studies focus on learning a difficult or novel task when assisted by the robot. This approach has led to insights into the role of haptic guidance in motor learning, which may have implications for stroke recovery [68][69][70].…”