Abstract
A rather peculiar phenomenon has been observed while a human was balancing a stick on a fingertip. The balancing time improved when the subject moved another object with the other hand. This was particularly so for many subjects with medium stick balancing skills. On the basis of this example, I consider how this seemingly simple task is composed of intricate mixtures of feedback delay, fluctuations, and predictions. I present some simple models of dynamics in which these factors lead to complex behaviors. From these examples, I infer that the concept of “nonlocality” could play an important role in characterizing biological and physiological systems.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cabrera JL, Milton JG (2002) On-off intermittency in a human balancing task. Phys Rev Lett 89:158702
Cabrera JL, Milton JG (2004) Human stick balancing: tuning Lévy flights to improve balance control. Chaos 14:691
Cabrera JL, Milton JG (2004) Stick balancing: on-off intermittency and survival times. Nonlinear Stud 11:305
Cabrera JL, et al (2004) State-dependent noise and human balance control. Fluctuation Noise Lett 4:L107
Hosaka T, et al (2006) Balancing with noise and delay. Prog Theor Phys Suppl 161:314
Milton J, et al (2009) Balancing with vibration: a prelude for “drift and act” balance control. PLos One 0007427
Wiesenfeld K, Moss F (1995) Stochastic resonance and the benefits of noise: from ice ages to crayfish and SQUIDs. Nature 373:33
Bulsara AR, Gammaitoni L (1996) Tuning in to noise. Phys Today 49:39
Gammaitoni L, et al (1998) Stochastic resonance. Rev Mod Phys 70:223
McNamara B, et al (1988) Observation of stochastic resonance in a ring laser. Phys Rev Lett 60:2626
Longtin A, et al (1991) Time-interval sequences in bistable systems and the noise-induced transmission of information by sensory neurons. Phys Rev Lett 67:656
Collins JJ, et al (1995) Stochastic resonance without tuning. Nature 376:236
Ohira T, Sato Y (1999) Resonance with noise and delay. Phys Rev Lett 82:2811
Chapeau-Blondeau F (2003) Stochastic resonance for an optimal detector with phase noise. Sign Process 83:665
Lee I, et al (2003) Nanosignal processing: stochastic resonance in carbon nanotubes that detect subthreshold signals. Nano Lett 3:1683
Flugge-Lotz I (1968) Discontinuous and optimal control. McGraw-Hill, New York
Insperger T (2006) Act-and-wait concept for time-continuous control systems with feedback delay. EEE Trans Control Syst Technol 14:974
Insperger T, Stepan G (2007) Act-and-wait control concept for discrete-time systems with feedback delay. IET Control Theor Appl 1(33):553–557
Ohira T (2009) Temporal stochasticity and non-locality. J Stat Mech P01032
Ohira T (2007) Stochasticity and non-locality of time. Physica A 379:483
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This work was presented in part at the 15th International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, February 4–6, 2010
About this article
Cite this article
Ohira, T. Delay, noise, and resonance: human balancing and temporal non-locality. Artif Life Robotics 15, 436–438 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10015-010-0837-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10015-010-0837-0