Neural Model of Adaptive Hand-Eye Coordination for Single Postures

A neural network model has been developed that achieves adaptive visual-motor coordination of a multijoint arm, without a teacher. The model learns to position an arm so that it reaches a cylinder arbitrarily positioned in space. The model uses a new neural architecture and a new algorithm for modifying neural-connection strengths. Computer simulations show that the model performs with an average position error of 4% of the arm's length and with an average orientation error of 4 degrees. The model is designed to be generalized for coordinating any number of topographic sensory inputs with limbs of any number of joints.