Moving Minds: Segmentation, Rhythm and Categorization of Action

Movement and rhythm are foundational to human behaviour and cognition, influencing everything from locomotion and speech to music, communication, and interpersonal coordination. This interdisciplinary project explores how rhythmic patterns and action segmentation shape perception, interaction, and learning. Drawing on theories such as event segmentation, the research aims to better understand how continuous streams of action are divided into meaningful units, enabling categorization and replication of movements. This knowledge is not only central to human cognition but also has practical applications in robotics, artificial intelligence, and interaction design, particularly for systems that learn from demonstrations. Additionally, gestures and dance offer rich domains for studying the synchronization of movement and rhythm, with potential applications for creating embodied experiences accessible to blind and visually impaired audiences. MOCAP techniques allow for detailed examination of human movement. Clinically, rhythm has diagnostic potential since rhythmic ability can distinguish neurotypical individuals from those with ADHD, ASD, Parkinson’s disease, and cognitive decline. However, a more systematic analysis of action patterns could greatly enhance diagnostic precision and therapeutic personalization. The project unites expertise from cognitive science, neuroscience, robotics, and design to advance understanding and develop innovative tools for therapy and accessibility. Key research questions address the relationship between physiological and communicative rhythms, the quantification and categorisation of movement, verbal description of dance for visually impaired audiences, and the use of VR for personalized neurological diagnostics. Researchers from four faculties (HT, S, M and LTH) will participate in monthly half-day seminars, expert-led workshops, and practical engagements focused on dance, rehabilitation, VR diagnostic tools, MOCAP technologies and will plan for future project applications.

The group has developed ideas around how dance, movement, and meaning can be understood, described, and made accessible to broader audiences. The discussions covered audio description for blind audiences, tactile and spatial ways of representing movement, rhythm as a support for people with Parkinson’s disease, and rhythm as a possible cognitive marker in ADHD and autism. A key insight is that movement is not only physical motion, but also carries meaning, emotion, sensory experience, and context. The group also identified the need for better methods to analyse movement, including segmentation, acceleration changes, attention shifts, and rhythmic patterns. Overall, the work points toward interdisciplinary possibilities across dance, rehabilitation, accessibility, neuroscience, gaming, sports, and immersive technologies.

What if rhythm could help us communicate, learn – or even diagnose disease?
Movement and rhythm are central to how we live, from walking and speaking to dancing and connecting with others.
Drawing on research from cognitive science, neuroscience, robotics, and design, this ASG investigates how we perceive, describe, and replicate movement. Tools like motion capture (MOCAP) allow detailed study of gestures and dance, with potential benefits for accessibility, such as creating verbal descriptions of movement for visually impaired audiences.
Clinically, the ability to follow or produce rhythm can help distinguish conditions like ADHD, autism, Parkinson’s, and dementia. By studying these patterns more closely, researchers hope to improve diagnostics.

This ASG wants to be a part of shaping future innovations in healthcare, technology, and inclusive design.