ABSTRACT
The majority of tasks in daily life require that we use both our hands together, predominantly in an asymmetrical way, e.g. unscrewing a jar or a bottle, washing dishes, typing a text on a keyboard, tying a knot. These tasks impose specific spatio-temporal constraints on bimanual co-ordination. Stated differently, both hands have to work together such that they are well co-ordinated both in space and time. Apart from the specific constraints imposed by the task, there also exist spatial and temporal interactions between both hands. For instance, drawing circles with one hand and drawing lines with the other hand is quite difficult as a consequence of the influence of both hands on each other. Research into bimanual movements and the mutual influence of both hands is quite abundant. This is especially so for the effect of temporal constraints. Overall, the results show that there is a tendency for both hands to be synchronised in time, even if the hands perform different tasks. Research into the spatial influence between both hands has received far less attention.
