Acting while perceiving: Where do we look when manipulating and monitoring the environment in parallel?

I am currently working on a DFG funded research project on Gaze and motor control – Patterns of Coordination. I have written a little poem inspired by “The Cat in the Hat” by Dr. Seuss.

Adaptive eye-hand coordination when manipulating and monitoring the environment in parallel
By Dr. Foo’ss
——
I have some new findings.
I will show them to you.
I think you will not mind at all if I do.

I know some good science you could read.
Yes, I do.
A lot of good science that will fascinate you.

We look!
As we pick up a ball.
We look!
As we put down a ball.
It’s no problem at all!
As we pick up the ball
Our eyes shift ahead.
Our eyes lead the hand
There is no question yet.

I can pick up a ball.
I can do it a lot.
I can pick up a ball
And drop it into a slot.
My eyes like the ball
And my eyes like the slot
They shift back and forth
They do it a lot.

But that is not all!
Oh no.
That is not all…
I can pick up a tool to pick up the ball.
And I will look at the ball
As I lift it up tall.
I will not drop the ball,
No, I will not.
With my tool I can place the ball in the slot.

But that is not all!
Oh no.
That is not all…
I can pick up the ball
While I watch a display.
I can pick up the ball while my eyes are away.
As I watch the display
I can insert the ball.
But that is no fun.
Oh no. That is no fun.
It is no fun at all.
Before I insert the ball in the slot
My eyes like to see it.
Oh, they like it a lot.

But that is not all!
Oh no.
That is not all…
When I take the tool to pick up the ball.
Ho can I look at the display at all?
My eyes want to see how the tool grasps the ball.
My eyes want to see the display on the wall.
They compete!
The ball and the display.
They compete!
Oh, where should my eyes decide to stay?
I look!
At the ball and the slot.
I look!
At the display a lot.
But have no fear!
Have no fear at all.
I can figure it out
When to look at the ball.

Look!
There was a change on the display.
Surely now is the time to look somewhere else!
As I put the ball into the slot,
I learn some new things.
Oh, I learn a lot.
I learn to move my eyes and my hand
As the display keeps changing, I understand.
The world around me informs my perception a lot.
So, I have to decide when to act on the spot.