Here we review our work on Human Stick Balancing. Experimental observations and numerical studies of an stochastic delay differential equation demonstrate that on time scales short compared to the neural time delay ("fast control"), parametric noise provides a non–predictive mechanism that allows for human control of the upright position of a balanced stick. Thanks to parametric noise 98% of the corrective movements occurs on time scales smaller than the physiological time delay. In contrast, on time scales comparable to the neural time delay ("slow control"), feedback and feed forward control mechanisms become more important. Aspects associated with learning are also considered.
Juan Luis Cabrera was born in Cádiz. He received a Lic. degree in Physics from the Universidad Central de Venezuela in 1985, the M.S. degree in Physics from The University of Puerto Rico 1988, and a Doctorado in Nonlinear Phenomena in Physics from the UNED at Madrid in 1997. In December 1998, he joined the INTA Astrobiology Center, as a Postdoctoral Scientist. From 1999 to 2002 he was a Research Assistant in the Neurology Department at The University of Chicago. From 2002 he works as Scientist in the Physics Center at The Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research. His research interests include computational neuroscience, motor control, nonlinear phenomena and complex systems.