NSERC/Essilor Industrial Research Chair in Visual Function

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The aging demographics clearly indicate that the mean age of the North American population is increasing rapidly and is accompanied by an increase of sensory-perceptual-cognitive alterations and age-related optical changes such as presbyopia. In addition to the sensory-perceptual-cognitive and the optical changes mentioned above, there are somatosensory-proprioceptive and vestibular changes that occur as a function of aging and it has been demonstrated that such changes affect posture and increase the dependence on vision for posture control. In continuation of the initial five-year NSERC-Essilor research Chair program, the new program will use virtual reality and psychophysical methodology to elucidate the impact of aging on: 1.visual perturbations similar to those perceived when walking in the environment or caused by ophthalmic distortions on posture control; 2.issues related to individual head-eye strategies for gazing in virtual environments; 3.dynamic ophthalmic lens distortions and the impact of such distortions on behavior; 4.multisensory processing on sensory thresholds and on higher perceptual-cognitive functions; 5.perceptual-cognitive learning and its transfer to socially relevant tasks such as driving. Past research collaborations with Essilor have produced innovative strategies and elucidated interesting scientific questions driven by applied needs. Essilor, based on research findings, has successfully implemented designs related to specific and measurable human behaviors. Work from the research Chair has lead to patents and device prototypes and will be available in the form of licenses for Essilor and potentially other companies. The Chair has also developed very specialized and unique expertise in regards to perceptual-cognitive functions in aging, virtual reality, simulation, ophthalmic optics and multisensory integration and has become a unique and truly multidisciplinary training site.