RUI: Cortical processing of moving objects by moving observers

在世界中运动的人必须判断自己的运动路径，识别和定位运动物体，并判断这些物体的运动方向。在这组研究中，将开发一个神经处理的计算模型来研究大脑为运动观察者计算运动物体属性所使用的机制。该计算模型利用了称为“运动对手”算子的模型神经元，该算子基于灵长类视觉皮层MT区域中的神经元。已经开发了一个计算模型，使用这些模型神经元来计算一个人在静止场景中移动的方向和场景布局。该项目将进一步扩展该模型，以研究运动观察者如何使用这些神经元来计算运动物体的位置和运动方向。模型模拟的结果将与从人类观测者的实验中收集的数据进行比较。人类观察者将在实验中识别、定位和判断运动物体的运动方向，在实验中，人们通过包含运动物体的场景观看计算机模拟显示的运动。这将使我们能够测试模型是否能像人类观察者那样计算运动物体的位置和运动方向。本项目将为本科生提供参与跨学科前沿科学研究的机会。这项研究将广泛传播，开发的程序和工具将提供给其他人。这些信息将有利于社会制定有关司机和交通规则的政策。

A person moving through the world must judge his or her own path of motion, identify and locate moving objects and judge the direction of motion of those objects. In this set of studies a computational model of neural processing will be developed to investigate the mechanisms used by the brain to compute the properties of a moving object for a moving observer. The computational model makes use of model neurons, called "motion-opponent" operators, that are based on the neurons found in an area of the primate visual cortex known as MT. A computational model has been developed that uses these model neurons to compute heading and scene layout for a person moving through a stationary scene. This project will further extend this model to examine how these neurons may be used by a moving observer to compute the location and direction of motion of a moving object. The results of the model simulations will be compared with the data gathered from the experiments with human observers. Human observers will identify, localize and judge the direction of motion of a moving object in experiments in which people view computer simulations showing motion through a scene that contains moving objects. This will enable us to test whether the model computes the location and direction of motion of a moving object as well as human observers.This project will give undergraduates an opportunity to participate in leading-edge scientific research in an interdisciplinary field. The research will be widely disseminated, and the programs and tools developed will be made available to others. This information will benefit society in aiding policy decisions regarding drivers and traffic rules.