Forward dynamic models in human motor control: Psychophysical evidence

Based on computational principles, with as yet no direct experimental validation, it has been proposed that the central nervous system (CNS) uses an internal model to simulate the dynamic behavior of the motor system in planning, control and learning (Sutton and Barto, 1981; Ito, 1984; Kawato et al., 1987; Jordan and Rumelhart, 1992; Miall et al., 1993). We present experimental results and simulations based on a novel approach that investigates the temporal propagation of errors in the sensorimotor integration process. Our results provide direct support for the existence of an internal model.