OPTIMIZATION SOFTWARE FOR GOAL-DIRECTED MOVEMENTS

A growing need exists for medical, psychological, and educational experts to quantitatively assess the state of an individual?s visuo-neuromuscular system, e.g., as a function of age, neurological disease, medication, learning, skill, stress, alcohol, nicotine. The proposed optimized sub-movement analysis software offers a non-invasive and cost-effective method to assess the motor system quantitatively and quickly. The software requires a PC and a digitizer and/or mouse to record and analyze rapid goal-directed movements from a home position to a target position in terms of sub-movements. The primary sub-movement is associated with preprogrammed movement towards the target. The secondary sub-movement comprises the subsequent corrections necessary to achieve the target. In Phase II we extend the software to improve the versatility and the user-friendliness. We then will implement and conduct two standardized sub-movement analysis tests. One test compares different muscle systems and different accuracy demands and the other compares visual feedback adaptation and learning, Subsequently, we will apply these tests to compare various factors affecting the sub-movement structure, other types of movements, and evaluate in practice and motor learning. Finally, the marketing plan will be developed.