Abstract/Summary

Dimensionality reduction techniques such as factor analysis can be used to identify the smallest number of components (motor synergies) that explain motion. Lambert-Shirzad and Van der Loos (2017) compared dimensionality reduction techniques in bimanual hand movements, concluding that non-negative matrix factorization was the optimal technique for extracting meaningful synergies. Their results provide a useful measure for examining how the motor system deals with novel motor tasks that allow the actor to engage with a virtual environment.