Robotic Integrated Gaze Tracker for Mapping Eye-Hand Interactions during Motor Learning

***我正在申请资金，以升级我现有的KINARM EndPoint机器人，使用BKIN （Kingston, Ontario）的同类最佳凝视跟踪器（Eyelink 1000+, SR Research, Ottawa）。这款凝视追踪器是同类产品中的第一款，也是唯一一款与我的NSERC RTI资助（2014）机器人兼容的商用追踪器。这是因为只需要在水平面上跟踪。这一升级将使使用手臂进行运动学习时的注视跟踪成为可能，并促进了一条考虑视觉运动大脑可塑性的新研究路线。******我目前的NSERC资助重点是了解白质网络如何随着经验（学习）而变化。这里所要求的注视跟踪器将使视觉和运动系统在学习过程中如何相互作用成为可能。具体来说，它将在我的实验室开辟一条新的研究路线，测试围绕视觉系统神经可塑性的想法，并扩展过去的发现。未能获得所需的设备将阻碍我们对视觉和手臂运动如何相互作用以支持运动学习的理解。******在过去NSERC资助的研究中，我的小组发现，学习一项新的视觉运动任务会刺激顶叶内沟髓磷脂厚度的显著增加。这是首次报道髓磷脂的可塑性与人类大脑的运动学习有关。在这项研究中，学习一项新的视觉运动任务刺激了顶叶内沟髓磷脂厚度的显著增加。目前，我的小组只能描绘出习得的手臂运动对髓磷脂可塑性的贡献。然而，已知顶叶内沟对于视觉与运动的整合是重要的。我们不知道髓磷脂可塑性是否与手臂运动、眼球运动或两者的学习有关。获得与KINARM端点机器人集成的凝视跟踪系统将使我的小组能够测试这个问题。******目前在UBC没有其他的手动KINARM EndPoint机器人。还有其他凝视跟踪系统，但由于需要在水平面上跟踪凝视，没有一个可以与我的机器人设备集成。获得一个注视追踪器将使我的研究小组处于与人类运动学习相关的神经可塑性变化研究的前沿。这也将使我提出的探索基金研究得以扩展。我的KINARM EndPoint机器人已经得到了很好的利用，添加凝视跟踪将使它在90%的时间内处于使用状态。此外，这一设备促进的研究方向将大大促进卫生保健人员的培训，包括妇女的培训；目前，我研究小组的13名HQP中有10名是女性。总之，该设备的获得将推动整个研究领域的发展，明确人类运动学习过程中眼睛和手臂运动驱动的结构可塑性之间的关系。

***I am requesting funding to upgrade my existing KINARM EndPoint robot with the best-in-class gaze tracker (Eyelink 1000+, SR Research, Ottawa) from BKIN (Kingston, Ontario). This gaze tracker is the first of its kind and is the only commercially-available tracker compatible with my NSERC RTI funded (2014) robot. This is because of the need to track solely in the horizontal plane. This upgrade will enable gaze tracking during motor learning using the arms and facilitate a new line of research that considers visuomotor brain plasticity. ******My current NSERC grant is focused on understanding how white matter networks change with experience (learning). The gaze tracker requested here will enable robust consideration of how the visual and motor systems interact during learning. Specifically, it will enable a new line of research in my lab that tests ideas surrounding visual system neuroplasticity and extends past discoveries. Failure to obtain the requested equipment will stall our understanding of how vision and arm movement interact to support motor learning.******In past NSERC funded research my group discovered that learning a novel visuomotor task stimulated significant increases in the thickness of myelin in the intraparietal sulcus. This was the first report of plasticity in myelin associated with motor learning in the human brain. In this research, significant increases in myelin thickness in the intraparietal sulcus was stimulated by learning a novel visuomotor task. At this time my group can only map the contribution of learned arm movements to myelin plasticity. Yet, the intraparietal sulcus is known to be important for the integration of vision into movement. We do not understand whether myelin plasticity was associated with the learning of arm movements, eye movements or both. Acquisition of a gaze tracking system integrated with my KINARM EndPoint robot will allow my group to test this question. ******At this time there are no other bimanual KINARM EndPoint robots at UBC. There are other gaze tracking systems but because of the need to track gaze in the horizontal plane none can be integrated with my robotic device. Acquisition of a gaze tracker will position my research group at the leading edge of the study of neuroplastic changes associated with human motor learning. It will also enable the expansion of my proposed Discovery grant research. My KINARM EndPoint robot is already well utilized, adding gaze tracking will cause it to be in use >90% of the time. Further, the line of research facilitated by this equipment will significantly advance the training of HQP, including women; currently 10 of 13 HQP my research group are women. In sum, the research contributions enabled by the acquisition of this equipment will move the entire field forward by specifying the relationship(s) between eye and arm movement driven structural plasticity during human motor learning.