ABSTRACT
Most of the time we take for granted the effortless way in which our thoughts are transformed into actions; upon feeling thirsty we reach for a glass of water without pausing to refl ect on the ease with which multiple muscles were co-ordinated to bring the hand to the glass, grasp it between fi ngers and thumb and lift it smoothly to the mouth without spilling a drop. Yet this task is a signifi cant challenge for even the most sophisticated robots, and the loss of motor function can be one of the most devastating consequences of disease or injury to the nervous system.
