Visual motion processing for perception and smooth pursuit eye movements

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My research program involves studies of smooth pursuit eye movements, the type of movement humans use to track moving visual targets. Without the ability to move our eyes in this fashion, image motion across the retina would produce motion blur and impair visual acuity. One of the hallmarks of pursuit eye movements is their close relationship to how we perceive visual motion. Many researchers believe that perception and pursuit are controlled by the same brain areas and mechanisms, but recent studies question this assumption. The long-term objective of my research program is to characterize the relationship between perception and pursuit eye movements and their link to underlying brain mechanisms for visual information processing. To achieve this, two short-term objectives are planned. (1) To assess effects of perception on pursuit. We will investigate whether better perception, due to perceptual learning, improves pursuit. This would indicate commonality in the neural substrate underlying both responses. (2) To study effects of pursuit on perception. We will compare the ability to predict motion trajectories-an essential skill to play sports or drive a car, for example-during pursuit and fixation. Better performance during pursuit would indicate that mere pursuit execution improves perception. All studies in my research program involve trainees who will acquire a multitude of skills ranging from eye tracking to statistical methods, enabling them to contribute successfully to the high-quality research landscape in Canada. My research program will advance our understanding of how visual information is processed in the brain to control perception and pursuit. Examples of industrial sectors or future application that will benefit from this advanced understanding include robotics and automotive industries. For instance, current driverless cars and robots rely on sensors that do not use eye movements to detect moving objects. New eye-movement based sensor technology could improve the design of driverless cars, ultimately improving the mobility of people with visual impairments. These sensors could also be incorporated into standard cars, making driving safer and more efficient, thereby increasing road safety.