Computation Core

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

PROJECT SUMMARY: COMPUTATION SERVICE MODULE The Vanderbilt Vision Research Center (VVRC) includes faculty investigators with strong interest in high- level imaging of visual perception and visual cognition in humans, neurophysiology, visual behavior in awake- behaving non-human primates, and computational modeling of human and non-human primate vision. These cognitive- and systems-level investigations require expertise in computer systems administration, data collection, analysis, and storage, and web-based applications for experimentation. As well, other VVRC investigators require access to hardware and software maintenance and specialty programming, including web-based content. The purpose of the VVRC Computation Module is to provide a comprehensive service for computer hardware and software that support the wide range of empirical studies our investigators conduct. The Computation Module provides computer technology support for research needed to solve more complex challenges that face computer-dependent laboratory science. This module is a VVRC-intrinsic core and is not part of a VUMC institutional facility; therefore, the service is provided to VVRC members by request and not through the VUMC Office of Research scholarship platform. In the current funding period the computation module contributed resources in support of 12 investigators with140 publications resulting from use of the service, excluding website maintenance. These are indicated as such in our Progress Report Core Publications by Investigator document. Availability of this module during the current period saved VVRC investigators $409,910 in programmer and administrator costs. A survey of researcher plans indicates that the use of this service will increase, with moderate to extensive use by 19 of 36 VVRC investigators. The computation module, housed in approximately 500 sq ft of office, server and storage space in Wilson Hall proximal to VVRC investigators is directed by VVRC Investigator Thomas Palmeri, PhD. Using this space and personnel supported by this Core mechanism, the VVRC Computation Module will: (1) provide hardware and software support of VVRC investigations, (2) provide data pipeline, archiving, and storage solutions, (3) provide custom programming solutions, and (4) facilitate web-based content and interfacing. These services and resources will enhance the scope of experimentation NEI-funded VVRC investigators conduct, promote innovation through the provision of custom hardware and software resources, and enhance collaboration by providing computation support to those who otherwise would not have such capabilities, including early-career vision scientists, clinician-scientists competing for extramural funding for their laboratories, and VVRC investigators without access to computer expertise beyond basic internet technology services.