Insights from kinematic analysis of pantomime and actual use for the hierarchical organization of tool use actions Comment on 'Action semantics: A unifying conceptual framework for the selective use of multimodal and modality-specific object knowledge' by van Elk, van Schie & Bekkering

摘要

In their review of action semantics van Elk, van Schie & Bekkering propose a primarily hierarchical neural organization enabling humans to select the correct tool for a certain action and use it in a skillful and smooth way [1]. In this comment I will support the notion of hierarchical processing based on functional and manipulation knowledge of tool use that is strongly influenced by context. I will additionally highlight the role of context at lower control levels that may actually dominate task execution. I will base my arguments on motion capture data from tool use actions performed as pantomimes and during actual use.