Biomimetic sensory augmentation

该提案研究了将人工“磁”感觉信号整合到人类空间感知中。我们最近开发了一种感觉增强装置，可以指示头部的地磁北方向。该设备使用了一种新颖的仿生编码方案，该方案将基于头部的指南针的输出“搭载”在来自某个方向的远端声音的较低级别的感官特征上。我们最近的工作表明，在实验室条件下，该信号与人类对前庭空间的感知迅速整合。然而，在自然生态条件下，空间感知结合了来自多个内部和外部感官通道的信息，以及来自动作感官后果的内部模型的信息。因此，虽然实验室发现整合磁感觉信号与前庭感知的能力是有希望的，但它可能不足以影响自然条件下的空间感知。因此，本项目（1）研究仿生磁信号是否也可以在更多的生态条件下整合到空间感知中，以及（2）研究可能的整合机制。一组实验检查仿生磁信号的整合是否基于贝叶斯方案预测的信号可靠性;整合是否发生在本体感觉和主动运动命令的可靠信号存在的情况下;仿生磁信号是否可以影响生态外部环境中的空间取向，以及使用神经成像技术（fMRI）整合仿生增强信号的皮质过程可能是什么。

This proposal investigates the integration of an artificial ‘magnetic’ sensory signal into human spatial perception. We have recently developed a sensory augmentation device that indicates the orientation of the head to geomagnetic north. The device uses a novel biomimetic coding scheme that ‘piggy-backs’ the output of a head-based compass on the lower-level sensory characteristics of distal sounds coming from a direction. Our recent work shows that under laboratory conditions this signal integrates rapidly with the human perception of vestibular space. However, under natural, ecological, conditions, spatial perception combines information from multiple internal and external sensory channels as well as information derived from internal models of the sensory consequences of actions. Thus while the laboratory finding of the ability to integrate magnetic sensory signals with vestibular perception is promising, it might not be sufficient to impact on spatial perception also under natural conditions. The present project thus (1) investigates if bio-mimetic magnetic signals can also be integrated into spatial perception under more ecological conditions, and (2) investigates possible mechanisms of integration. A set of experiments examines whether integration of a biomimetic magnetic signal is based on signal reliability as predicted by Bayesian schemes; whether integration occurs in the presence of reliable signals of proprioception and active motor commands; whether a biomimetic magnetic signal can impact spatial orientation in ecological external environments, and what cortical processes might underlie the integration of a biomimetic augmentation signal using neuro-imaging techniques (fMRI).