Grip-force modulation in human-to-human object handovers: effects of sensory and kinematic manipulations

From a motor control perspective, human-to-human object handovers can be described as coordinated joint-actions transferring the power over an object from a passer to a receiver. Although, human-to-human handovers are very reliable in terms of success, it is unclear how both actors plan and execute their actions independently while taking into account the partners behaviour. Here, we measured grip-forces of passer and receiver while handing over an object. In order to study mutual interaction in human-to-human handovers, we measured how changes in relevant features (sensory information available to the passer and receiver’s reaching velocity) in one partner affect grip-force profiles not only at the manipulated side but also at the partner’s side. The data reveals strong effects of sensory manipulations on time-related (duration and release delay) and dynamometric measures (force rates). Variation of reaching velocities had the largest impact on the receiver’s force rates. Furthermore, there are first indications that the vertical object movement is used as an implicit cue to signal the start of the handover in situations where vision is restricted.