Efficiency and Personal Rhythm in the Performance of Simple Motor Tasks

This study, examined the effect of personal working rate and deviations from it, to performance efficiency and mechanical power, during continuous reversal upper limb motor tasks. The movement energetics were computed using a kinetic analysis approach. Results suggest a medium range of speeds under which human motor performance is maximized in terms of total mechanical efficiency and efficiency at selected points along the force-time measurements. The findings have important theoretical implications to models of motor control.