Taking Steps Toward Open Data in Motor Control, Learning, and Development

Data sharing is increasingly becoming a scientific norm due to its potential to accelerate discovery and reduce research waste. Despite significant investment in biomedical research, much of it fails to produce actionable knowledge, with timelines to impactful outcomes often exceeding 15 years when successful. Limited access to existing data contributes to this inefficiency, leading to redundant data collection and poorly designed studies. Governments are implementing policies that encourage data sharing for federally funded research, but all research stands to benefit from data sharing regardless of the funding source. Although data sharing practices have improved in some fields, their adoption remains minimal in areas like motor control, learning, and development. This editorial discusses the advantages of data sharing, including accelerating discovery, enhancing collaboration, and improving transparency and reproducibility. The editorial acknowledges concerns related to privacy, recognition for data sharing, and the risk of data misuse or misinterpretation, discussing productive ways to ameliorate these concerns.