Effects of vibration frequency and duration on eye-hand coordination in pointing tasks

The effects of high frequency (100, 200 Hz) hand vibration on simultaneous eye and hand pointing tasks were investigated in ten subjects. The pointing task was performed with and without direct visual control of the hand before and during short term (2 min.) hand vibration or before and after 10 min. hand vibration. Vibration induced an increase in hand pointing constant error and error variability. These alterations were more particularly pronounced for the 100 Hz vibration and when the hand was masked. The eye gaze constant error and error variability increased during and immediately after vibration exposure. These results indicate that vibration similar to hand-tool vibration affects movement precision and the coordination of hand and eye movements, more specifically in absence of visual control of the hand.