Free hand-movements during the performance of a complex task

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Abstract
Free hand-movements under identical experimental conditions lead to slightly different movement traces. In order to correlate this performance variability with certain locations of the reaching area or certain elements of the working process a new method has been developed to analyse continuous hand-movements in space. Six parameters for the description of the performance variability have been investigated during the execution of a complex positioning task with respect to six locations in the reaching area and with respect to the time at work. The computed parameters differ clearly from location to location and change significantly during the working period. On the basis of these results it is possible to determine at which location the positioning procedure leads to minimal effort. The results have been evaluated on the basis of EMG-measurements and emphasize the recommendation that the small reaching area in front of the subject not too close to the body should be favoured for the performance of a positioning task. The analytic approach described can be applied to various types of tasks in field research.