RUI: Cortical processing of moving objects by moving observers

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A person moving through the world must judge his or her own path of motion, identify and locate moving objects and judge the direction of motion of those objects. In this set of studies a computational model of neural processing will be developed to investigate the mechanisms used by the brain to compute the properties of a moving object for a moving observer. The computational model makes use of model neurons, called "motion-opponent" operators, that are based on the neurons found in an area of the primate visual cortex known as MT. A computational model has been developed that uses these model neurons to compute heading and scene layout for a person moving through a stationary scene. This project will further extend this model to examine how these neurons may be used by a moving observer to compute the location and direction of motion of a moving object. The results of the model simulations will be compared with the data gathered from the experiments with human observers. Human observers will identify, localize and judge the direction of motion of a moving object in experiments in which people view computer simulations showing motion through a scene that contains moving objects. This will enable us to test whether the model computes the location and direction of motion of a moving object as well as human observers.This project will give undergraduates an opportunity to participate in leading-edge scientific research in an interdisciplinary field. The research will be widely disseminated, and the programs and tools developed will be made available to others. This information will benefit society in aiding policy decisions regarding drivers and traffic rules.