I-Corps: Using Neuroscience to Predict Consumer Preference

该项目将研究视觉对象感知过程中情感效价的神经表征。在这些实验中使用的对象将是目前正在开发的消费产品，这些产品将由团队在此奖项期间与之合作的公司开发。该团队计划进行的实验将依赖于功能磁共振成像（fMRI）和行为心理物理学的结合，旨在开发策略和分析工具，以最有效地预测，以及理解消费者最喜欢哪种基于对象的产品的原因。在此过程中，该团队将形成一个更基于神经心理学的模型，研究视觉系统的特定子组件如何与情感处理、选择和决策系统相互作用。通过将神经科学方法应用于消费者测试和产品开发，该团队将把基础良好的尖端科学技术引入到通常不采用此类方法的商业领域。除了具体的产品评估和评估之外，为了尽可能提供最好的服务，我们还将指导客户了解该方法的一般原则。因此，该团队计划为任何希望更多地了解大脑及其功能的客户举办研讨会。这将允许客户更多地参与到流程中，并最终从服务中获得最大的收益。该团队的创新有可能通过增加以人为本、更受青睐、更能满足人类需求的产品数量，产生重大的商业影响。这有可能迅速减少围绕不受欢迎因而不被消费的产品的物理和财务浪费。

The proposed activity under this award will investigate the neural representation of affective valence during visual object perception. The objects used in these experiments will be consumer products that are currently under development by the companies that the team will be working with during this award. The experiments the team plans to conduct will rely on a combination of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and behavioral psychophysics designed to develop strategies and analysis tools to most effectively predict, as well as understand why, which object-based products are most preferred by consumers. In doing so, the team will form a more neuropsychologically-based model of how specific subcomponents of the visual system interact with both affective processing, and with the choice and decision-making systems.By applying neuro-scientific methods to consumer testing and product development, the team will be introducing well-grounded, cutting-edge science and technology to commercial sectors that have not typically employed such methods. Beyond specific product evaluation and assessment, in an effort to provide the best possible service, clients will be instructed regarding the general principles of the approach. Thus, the team plans to conduct workshops for any of their customers that wish to learn more about the brain and how it functions. This will allow customers to be more involved in the process and ultimately get the most out of the service. The team's innovations have the potential to create a significant commercial impact by increasing the number of products produced that are more human centered, preferred, and which better meet human needs. This has the potential to rapidly decrease the physical and financial waste surrounding products that are not preferred and are therefore not consumed.