Detection and Processing of Information in Three-Dimensional Space

我的研究计划的长期目标是了解人类空间能力的基本感知原理。利用虚拟现实（VR）技术和各种现实世界的测试范式，我们将进一步开展以下三个方面的研究：1)运动中的多感官整合；2)即将发生碰撞的视觉控制；3)近个人和超个人空间中视觉事件的感知。*我们的第一个研究重点是人类大脑在运动过程中如何解释和整合视觉（光流）和基于身体（本体感觉，前庭）的信息。为了单独评估每个感觉线索的作用，并更好地理解这些线索如何相互作用并相互整合以形成单一感知，我们使用了几个涉及自我运动（如骑自行车和步行）的新颖实验范式来创建线索冲突场景。这个第一个研究项目的下一个目标将集中在进一步调查和量化自我运动过程中视觉和身体信息之间的动态相互作用。通过使用贝叶斯模型对实证结果进行建模，我们将更好地量化以前的感官体验如何影响当前的感官处理。这条研究路线不仅将帮助我们理解感知行进距离的机制，而且还提供了对定义大脑如何组合多种信息来源的一般原则的见解。*虽然我们的第一行研究重点是对环境中观察者过去运动程度的多感官处理，但我们的第二条研究重点是在观察者在物体运动期间（例如，迎面而来的汽车）拦截环境中的物体之前对未来碰撞的视觉处理，以及观察者自我运动（例如，步行和驾驶）所经历的视觉环境的运动。我们最近的研究提供了明确的经验证据，证明观察者使用光学变量tau来判断即将发生的碰撞。在我们的下一个资助期，我们将进行心理物理研究，探索更复杂的运动形式的处理机制。我们将比较人类在物体运动、自我运动或两者下的表现。除了运动感知，我们还将在我们的高端驾驶模拟器（配备眼动追踪）上研究复杂，自然形式的运动处理和碰撞避免模拟驾驶任务中的视觉运动控制。*我们的第三条研究路线将跟进我们最近令人兴奋的发现，即在近（近个人）和远（超个人）观看距离下呈现的视觉目标的差异处理，即使在近和远观看条件下的视觉刺激在视角和亮度上是匹配的。我们将继续研究这种观看距离效应的潜在机制。到目前为止，我们的试验数据表明，近距离和远距离的视觉空间可能分别被背侧和腹侧视觉流不同地处理。*在我们的虚拟现实实验室设置提供三维，多感官，动态，生态有效的实验控制，刺激演示。这个研究项目不仅让我探索了视觉运动控制的基本感知原理，还可以用于设计更好的驾驶员/飞行员标准化测试和训练/康复，以及汽车、道路标志和驾驶/飞行模拟器的设计。

The long-term aim of my research programme is to understand the fundamental perceptual principles underlying human spatial abilities. Using virtual reality (VR) technology and various real world testing paradigms, we will further pursue the following three lines of research 1) multisensory integration in locomotion and 2) visual control of impending collision; 3) perception of visual events in near peripersonal and extrapersonal space.* Our first line of research focuses on how the human brain interprets and integrates visual (optic flow) and body-based (proprioceptive, vestibular) information during locomotion. In order to assess the role of each sensory cue individually and gain a better understanding of how these cues interact with and are integrated with one another to form a single perception, we have used several novel experimental paradigms involving self-motion (such as bicycling and walking) to create cue conflict scenarios. The next goal of this first research program will concentrate on further investigating and quantifying the dynamic interactions that occur between visual and body-based information during self-motion. By modeling the empirical findings using Bayesian model we will be better equipped to quantify how previous sensory experiences affect current sensory processing. This line of research will not only help us understand the mechanisms involved in perception of travelled distance, but also provides insight into the general principles that define how the brain combines multiple sources of information.* While our first line of research focus on the multisensory processing of the extent of PAST movement of the observers in the environment, our second line of research concentrate on the visual processing of FUTURE collision before the observers intercept objects in the environment during either object motion (e.g., an oncoming car), and the motion of the visual environment experienced as a result of the observer's self-motion (e.g., walking and driving). Our recent studies provided clear empirical evidence demonstrating that observers use optical variable tau to make judgement of impending collision. In our next grant period we will conduct psychophysical studies exploring the mechanisms of processing for more complicated forms of motion. We will compare human performance under object motion, self-motion, or both. In addition to perception of motion, we will also examine visual motor control in complex, naturalistic forms of motion processing and collision avoidance in simulated driving tasks on our high-end driving simulator (equipped with eye tracking). * Our third line of research will follow up our recent exciting discoveries of differential processing of visual targets presented at near (peripersonal) and far (extrapersonal) viewing distances, even though visual stimuli in near and far viewing conditions were matched for visual angle and luminance. We will continue to examine the underlying mechanisms for such a viewing distance effect. Our pilot data so far suggest that near and far visual spaces might be differentially processed by dorsal and ventral visual streams respectively.* The setups in our VR laboratory afford great experimental control over three-dimensional, multisensory, dynamic, ecologically valid, stimulus presentations. This research program has not only allowed me to explore fundamental perceptual principles underlying visuomotor control, but it can also be employed in the design of better standardized tests and training/rehabilitation for drivers/pilots and the design of car, road sign and driving/flight simulators.