NSERC/Essilor Industrial Research Chair in Visual Function

老龄化人口结构清楚地表明，北美人口的平均年龄正在迅速增加，并伴随着感觉-知觉-认知变化和与年龄相关的光学变化，如老花眼的增加。除了上述感觉-知觉-认知和视觉的变化外，随着年龄的增长，还有躯体感觉-本体感觉和前庭的变化，已经证明这些变化影响姿势并增加对视觉对姿势控制的依赖。作为最初为期五年的NSERC-Essilor研究主席项目的延续，新项目将使用虚拟现实和心理物理方法来阐明衰老对以下方面的影响：1.类似于在环境中行走时感知到的视觉干扰，或由于眼睛扭曲对姿势控制的影响；2.与个人在虚拟环境中凝视的头眼策略有关的问题；3.动态眼镜片扭曲及其对行为的影响；4.多感觉处理对感觉阈值和更高知觉-认知功能的影响；5.知觉认知学习及其转移到与社会相关的任务，如驾驶。过去与Essilor的研究合作产生了创新的战略，并阐明了由应用需求驱动的有趣的科学问题。根据研究结果，Essilor已经成功地实施了与特定和可测量的人类行为相关的设计。研究主席的工作已经产生了专利和设备原型，并将以许可证的形式提供给Essilor，可能还会提供给其他公司。 教席还在衰老、虚拟现实、模拟、眼科光学和多感官整合方面的感知-认知功能方面发展了非常专门和独特的专门知识，并已成为一个独特的、真正的多学科培训场所。

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.