Introduction and the first layer of skills - (annotated Table of Content)

Working definitions:

• A skill is the capability to perform an action repeatedly, but adapted to current circumstances. Skills, therefore, control action and utilize perception. Skills are information structures, not physical objects. Innate skills are information structures that are encoded in the DNA of the individual.
• An action sequence (or action) is the observable activity that results from invoking or applying a skill.
• Action consequences are the 'real world' results of an action sequence.

A simple and very incomplete taxonomy of skills, with illustrative examples.

From information to action: The basic mechanisms by which a skill controls action are explored with an actor moving about a stage, by modeling joint rotation, with geometry and timing, using simulation and animation.

From optics to information: The basic mechanisms by which a skill utilizes perception to improve the control of action are explored in the same setting with gravity and vision.

Simple examples where a skill integrates perception and action:

• Chasing prey: A simple example of integrating the act of visual perception with action
• Standing: A simple challenge of integrating the perception of gravity with action
• Imitating action: visually perceiving the instructor's joint angles to mimic action

Information representation and information processing for basic innate skills:

• skills as stored-instructions (programs): representing the capability for action - encoding skills
• managing geometries: information representation and transformations - skills components
• managing time: synchronizing movements to coordinate the action resulting from a skill

Counterindications and refutation: An information-processing feasibility model is successful if it works, i.e. if it can simulate the phenomena to be described without violating major constraints. Ideally the feasibility model should support hands-on interactive testing over the Web by readers/viewers.

Feasibility always present the challenge of separating between general concepts and implementation details. Some processes and algorithms may work in the simulation model because of the specific implementation, but not in the general systems they are means to investigate.