Anticipating synchronisation for robot control

Abstract

Anticipating synchronisation (AS) is an interesting phenomenon whereby a dynamical system can trace the future evolution of an analogous ‘master’ system using delayed feedback. Although some have theorised that AS (or a similar phenomenon) has a role in human motor control, research has primarily focused on demonstrating it in novel systems rather than its practical applications. In this paper we explore one such application: by coupling the dynamics of the joints in a simulated robot arm, we seek to demonstrate that AS can have a functional role in motor control by reducing instability during a reaching task.