Human tactile sensing and sensorimotor mechanism: from afferent tactile signals to efferent motor control



Wei, Yuyang, Marshall, Andrew G ORCID: 0000-0001-8273-7089, McGlone, Francis P, Makdani, Adarsh, Zhu, Yiming, Yan, Lingyun, Ren, Lei and Wei, Guowu
(2024) Human tactile sensing and sensorimotor mechanism: from afferent tactile signals to efferent motor control NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, 15 (1). 6857-. ISSN 2041-1723, 2041-1723

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Abstract

In tactile sensing, decoding the journey from afferent tactile signals to efferent motor commands is a significant challenge primarily due to the difficulty in capturing population-level afferent nerve signals during active touch. This study integrates a finite element hand model with a neural dynamic model by using microneurography data to predict neural responses based on contact biomechanics and membrane transduction dynamics. This research focuses specifically on tactile sensation and its direct translation into motor actions. Evaluations of muscle synergy during in -vivo experiments revealed transduction functions linking tactile signals and muscle activation. These functions suggest similar sensorimotor strategies for grasping influenced by object size and weight. The decoded transduction mechanism was validated by restoring human-like sensorimotor performance on a tendon-driven biomimetic hand. This research advances our understanding of translating tactile sensation into motor actions, offering valuable insights into prosthetic design, robotics, and the development of next-generation prosthetics with neuromorphic tactile feedback.

Item Type: Article
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Uncontrolled Keywords: Hand, Muscle, Skeletal, Humans, Hand Strength, Touch, Robotics, Models, Neurological, Male, Touch Perception, Feedback, Sensory, Biomechanical Phenomena
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 22 Aug 2024 07:12
Last Modified: 16 Jun 2026 20:03
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50616-2
Open Access URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-50616-2
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URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3184010
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