Advancing the Learning Sciences Using MEG Technology

这是一项旨在推动认知心理学和神经科学跨学科工作的提案，在西雅图的华盛顿大学LIFE中心交付和安装新的脑磁图设备之前，为旅行和研讨会提供资金，以培训研究人员和研究生使用脑磁图（MEG）技术。 旅行将是低温和生物磁实验室在赫尔辛基理工大学，中心的MEG专业知识在赫尔辛基，芬兰。赫尔辛基和西雅图实验室的研究人员合作开发了适用于学习研究的MEG新用途，以及适当的头部跟踪技术，以允许对从事认知任务（如学习）的清醒婴儿进行全脑成像研究。 脑磁图是目前唯一适用于清醒婴儿的全脑成像技术，主要研究领域是婴儿的第一和第二语言学习。 行为研究已经证实，婴儿的大脑在6到12个月大的时候开始专门研究周围的语言。 MEG研究的目的将是准确地跟踪婴儿在经历这一专业化过程时的大脑中发生了什么，无论是单语还是双语。为期一年的45，000美元的申请是为了支持来自六个学习科学中心的研究人员前往赫尔辛基，以及来自华盛顿大学的两名研究生，并支持在赫尔辛基举办一个关于MEG技术的国际讲习班，该讲习班将被称为“MEG作为学习科学的工具”。“研讨会将由PI和来自华盛顿大学生命中心的同事组织。

This is a proposal to advance interdisciplinary work in cognitive psychology and neuroscience by providing funds for travel and a workshop to train investigators and graduate students in the use of MEG (Magnetoencephalography) technology prior to the delivery and installation of new MEG equipment at the LIFE center at the University of Washington in Seattle. Travel will be to the Low Temperature and BioMag Laboratories at the Helsinki University of Technology, centers of MEG expertise in Helsinki, Finland. Investigators at the labs in Helsinki and in Seattle have collaborated to develop novel uses of MEG applicable to the study of learning, and appropriate head-tracking techniques to allow whole-brain imaging studies in awake infants who are engaged in cognitive tasks such as learning. MEG is the only currently available whole-brain imaging technology that is appropriate for use with awake infants.The primary area of study is first and second language learning in infants. Behavioral studies have established that the brains of very young babies begin to specialize in the ambient language between 6 and 12 months of age. The purpose of the MEG studies will be to track exactly what is going on in the brains of infants undergoing this specialization process, as either monolinguals or bilinguals.The request of $45,000 for one year is to support travel to Helsinki by investigators from six Science of Learning Centers, plus two graduate students from the University of Washington, and to support an international workshop in Helsinki on MEG technology to be called "MEG as a Tool for the Learning Sciences." The workshop is to be organized by the PI and associates from the LIFE Center at the University of Washington.