Eyehand

Eyehand, commonly written as eye-hand coordination, refers to the integration of visual information with motor commands to guide hand movements in space. It enables tasks such as reaching for, grasping, and manipulating objects, as well as tool use. Effective eyehand coordination relies on rapid coordination between eye movements (including saccades and smooth pursuit) and hand planning and execution, using visual input to locate targets, estimate trajectories, and adjust grip and force in real time.

Neural mechanisms involve the dorsal visual stream and parietal-premotor networks that transform sight into action, with the cerebellum supporting timing and prediction. Sensory feedback from vision, touch, and proprioception, together with motor planning areas, allows continuous online correction during reaching and manipulation.

Developmentally, eyehand coordination emerges in infancy with reaching and grasping, improves through childhood, and can be influenced by factors such as attention, vision, and motor development. Aging or neurological conditions can lead to slower movements, reduced accuracy, and increased variability.

Assessment and applications: Eyehand coordination is evaluated in clinical and research settings using tasks that measure reaching accuracy, grip, dexterity, and timing. Common tests include pegboard and block transfer tasks, as well as kinematic analyses with motion tracking and eye-tracking. It is a key focus in rehabilitation after stroke or brain injury, in developmental assessment, and in fields such as sports science, surgery, robotics, and human–computer interaction. Training approaches range from task-specific practice to computer-based simulations and virtual reality to improve coordination and functional performance.