Visual motion processing for perception and smooth pursuit eye movements

我的研究项目包括对眼球平滑追踪运动的研究，这种运动是人类用来追踪移动的视觉目标的。如果我们的眼睛不能以这种方式移动，图像在视网膜上的移动就会产生运动模糊，损害视力。追逐眼动的特征之一是它们与我们如何感知视觉运动密切相关。许多研究人员认为，感知和追求是由相同的大脑区域和机制控制的，但最近的研究对这一假设提出了质疑。我的研究项目的长期目标是描述感知和追求眼球运动之间的关系，以及它们与视觉信息处理的潜在大脑机制之间的联系。为实现这一目标，计划了两个短期目标。(1)评估感知对追求的影响。我们将调查是否更好的感知，由于感知学习，提高追求。这表明两种反应背后的神经基质具有共性。(2)研究追求对感知的影响。我们将比较在追逐和固定过程中预测运动轨迹的能力——例如，运动或开车的基本技能。在追求过程中更好的表现表明单纯的追求执行提高了感知。在我的研究项目中，所有的研究都涉及到学员，他们将获得大量的技能，从眼动追踪到统计方法，使他们能够成功地为加拿大的高质量研究领域做出贡献。我的研究项目将推进我们对大脑如何处理视觉信息来控制感知和追求的理解。从这种先进的理解中受益的工业部门或未来应用的例子包括机器人和汽车行业。例如，目前的无人驾驶汽车和机器人依赖于不使用眼球运动来检测移动物体的传感器。新的基于眼球运动的传感器技术可以改进无人驾驶汽车的设计，最终改善视力障碍人士的行动能力。这些传感器也可以集成到标准汽车中，使驾驶更安全、更高效，从而提高道路安全。

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.