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

Yuyang Wei, Andrew G. Marshall, Francis P. McGlone, Adarsh Makdani, Yiming Zhu, Lingyun Yan, Lei Ren () and Guowu Wei ()
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Yuyang Wei: University of Oxford
Andrew G. Marshall: University of Liverpool
Francis P. McGlone: Aalto University, Otakaari 24
Adarsh Makdani: Liverpool John Moores University
Yiming Zhu: The University of Manchester
Lingyun Yan: The University of Manchester
Lei Ren: The University of Manchester
Guowu Wei: University of Salford

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: 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.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50616-2

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