The variability in the numerous tasks in which we use our hands is very large. However, independent movement control of individual fingers is limited. To assess the extent of finger independency during full-range finger flexion including all finger joints, we studied enslaving (movement in non-instructed fingers) and range of independent finger movement through the whole finger flexion trajecto...

Introduction: Preschool children are early childhood aged between 3-6 years, where fine motor development is needed to support their readiness optimize body movements that involve high accuracy, eye persistence and small muscles such as playing puzzles, mixing colors, drawing with fingers (finger painting). Finger painting a game techniques develop expression, express imagination creation by di...

Freshly-felled Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolate), Masson Pine (Pinus massoniana) and Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum camphora) logs were reconstituted to form laminated lumber with moisture content above fiber saturation point by slicing, finger-jointing, gluing, and cold-pressing processes. The laminated lumber was then sliced into wood veneers, which were air-dried to about 15% moisture content....

It is crucial to understand what brain signals can be decoded from single trials with different recording techniques for the development of Brain-Machine Interfaces. A specific challenge for non-invasive recording methods are activations confined to small spatial areas on the cortex such as the finger representation of one hand. Here we study the information content of single trial brain activi...

Skilled musicians are capable of fast, fluent performance of complex musical sequences whose motor demands can shape sequential aspects of performance, similar to principles of coarticulation in speech. We address how performers’ motor systems can influence the ways in which melodies are performed, both in motion and sound. In contrast to energy conservation models that favor small movements at...

We make an experimental characterization of the effect that static disorder has on the shape of a normal Saffman-Taylor finger. We find that static noise induces a small amplitude and long wavelength instability on the sides of the finger. Fluctuations on the finger sides have a dominant wavelength, indicating that the system acts as a selective amplifier of static noise. The dominant wavelengt...

BACKGROUND Aging is accompanied by a marked decline in muscle strength and ability to maintain steady submaximal force. Studies have shown that exercise programs can improve age-related regression of hand function in elderly individuals. The purpose of this study was to train elderly subjects to perform skilled finger movements and to evaluate the changes in hand function involving skillful use...