Biomimetic sensory augmentation

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This proposal investigates the integration of an artificial ‘magnetic’ sensory signal into human spatial perception. We have recently developed a sensory augmentation device that indicates the orientation of the head to geomagnetic north. The device uses a novel biomimetic coding scheme that ‘piggy-backs’ the output of a head-based compass on the lower-level sensory characteristics of distal sounds coming from a direction. Our recent work shows that under laboratory conditions this signal integrates rapidly with the human perception of vestibular space. However, under natural, ecological, conditions, spatial perception combines information from multiple internal and external sensory channels as well as information derived from internal models of the sensory consequences of actions. Thus while the laboratory finding of the ability to integrate magnetic sensory signals with vestibular perception is promising, it might not be sufficient to impact on spatial perception also under natural conditions. The present project thus (1) investigates if bio-mimetic magnetic signals can also be integrated into spatial perception under more ecological conditions, and (2) investigates possible mechanisms of integration. A set of experiments examines whether integration of a biomimetic magnetic signal is based on signal reliability as predicted by Bayesian schemes; whether integration occurs in the presence of reliable signals of proprioception and active motor commands; whether a biomimetic magnetic signal can impact spatial orientation in ecological external environments, and what cortical processes might underlie the integration of a biomimetic augmentation signal using neuro-imaging techniques (fMRI).