Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100915
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$345,000.00
Summary
Uncovering the dynamics of object selection from movement trajectories. This project aims to establish the dynamic properties of selection for perception and action, and develop a computational model of object selection across perception and action. Everyday actions depend on isolating the relevant object (perceptual selection) and appropriate grasp (action selection). It was long thought that distinct and sequential stages of processing carried out perceptual and action selection, but recent fi ....Uncovering the dynamics of object selection from movement trajectories. This project aims to establish the dynamic properties of selection for perception and action, and develop a computational model of object selection across perception and action. Everyday actions depend on isolating the relevant object (perceptual selection) and appropriate grasp (action selection). It was long thought that distinct and sequential stages of processing carried out perceptual and action selection, but recent findings suggested that a single mechanism may subserve both. Through a two-pronged approach including rigorous empirical work and computational modelling, this project aims to study this fundamental aspect of human cognition.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130100868
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$336,284.00
Summary
Neural mechanisms of inhibitory control of human speech in stutterers and non-stutterers. Stopping oneself from speaking is a crucial communication function. In people who stutter, a disorder of this function causes their debilitating speech problem. This project will use cutting edge neuroimaging techniques to reveal how the brain stops speech in stutterers and in fluent speakers.
Tracking the Flow of Perceptual Information Through Decision Networks. The choices we make define our lives. Despite exciting progress in neuroscience, we still don’t know how the inner workings of the brain give rise to simple decisions. This project brings together experts from diverse domains of computational neuroscience to investigate how our brains turn perceptual information into action. Together, we will develop new methods to track information flow through the brain during the decision ....Tracking the Flow of Perceptual Information Through Decision Networks. The choices we make define our lives. Despite exciting progress in neuroscience, we still don’t know how the inner workings of the brain give rise to simple decisions. This project brings together experts from diverse domains of computational neuroscience to investigate how our brains turn perceptual information into action. Together, we will develop new methods to track information flow through the brain during the decision making process. By doing so, we will develop a world-leading model of how the brain makes decisions, and also provide the broader scientific community with a set of exciting new tools for studying information processing in the brain.Read moreRead less
Decoding the neural representation of objects in the human brain. Humans can effortlessly recognise thousands of objects in a fraction of a second. This essential capacity is an integral part of our daily lives that allows us to recognise our keys, our car, our friends and family. This project will elucidate how humans recognise objects by investigating the neural representation of objects in the brain.
The emergence of logic in child language. This project investigates the development of logical expressions in Chinese and English. The project will promote intercultural awareness by establishing the degree to which typologically diverse languages share core logical properties. The findings are relevant for theories of language acquisition and logical reasoning, and will inform research in Linguistics, Philosophy and Psychology. The Neurosciences will benefit from data obtained using the brain i ....The emergence of logic in child language. This project investigates the development of logical expressions in Chinese and English. The project will promote intercultural awareness by establishing the degree to which typologically diverse languages share core logical properties. The findings are relevant for theories of language acquisition and logical reasoning, and will inform research in Linguistics, Philosophy and Psychology. The Neurosciences will benefit from data obtained using the brain imaging technique, Magnetoencephalography (MEG), for the first time with children, and these data will establish benchmarks for assessing early intervention in treating hearing disorders. The project will enhance collaborative research with Australia's neighbours in East Asia.Read moreRead less
An MEG (brain imaging) system to study cognitive processing in children. This project introduces the world's first brain imaging system to study cognitive processing in children, using magnetoencephalography (MEG). MEG offers precise measurement of brain activities using a non-invasive, non-contact method. MEG is an ideal brain imaging device for use with children and with special clinical populations. It promises to be valuable (a) for the identification of cortical functions of the human brain ....An MEG (brain imaging) system to study cognitive processing in children. This project introduces the world's first brain imaging system to study cognitive processing in children, using magnetoencephalography (MEG). MEG offers precise measurement of brain activities using a non-invasive, non-contact method. MEG is an ideal brain imaging device for use with children and with special clinical populations. It promises to be valuable (a) for the identification of cortical functions of the human brain prior to surgery, (b) for the diagnosis of loci for developmental and acquired brain disorders, (c) in determining pharmaceutical effects on children, and (d) in the assessment of recovery of sensory and cognitive functions following brain injury. Read moreRead less
Learning to read: Representations and mechanisms underlying orthographic learning. In literate societies, the ability to read is one of the most important skills an individual ever learns. There are now a number of precisely specified computational models of reading that explain detailed aspects of skilled reading behaviour. However, these models do not incorporate changes in reading ability over time - in particular, they do not explain how the ability to read is acquired. This project aims ....Learning to read: Representations and mechanisms underlying orthographic learning. In literate societies, the ability to read is one of the most important skills an individual ever learns. There are now a number of precisely specified computational models of reading that explain detailed aspects of skilled reading behaviour. However, these models do not incorporate changes in reading ability over time - in particular, they do not explain how the ability to read is acquired. This project aims to understand the learning mechanisms that give rise to skilled reading. Developing detailed models of the process of learning to read will greatly facilitate the early identification and treatment of children with reading difficulties.Read moreRead less
Logic and language: Foundations of cognitive growth. This project investigates children's competence in using language, from a biological perspective. The past twenty years has witnessed innovative developments in behavioral measures (e.g., eye-movement recording) and computational models of language development. I propose to integrate this research with the study of the neural basis of cognitive processes, using a new methodology for functional brain imaging, magnetoencephalography (MEG), The p ....Logic and language: Foundations of cognitive growth. This project investigates children's competence in using language, from a biological perspective. The past twenty years has witnessed innovative developments in behavioral measures (e.g., eye-movement recording) and computational models of language development. I propose to integrate this research with the study of the neural basis of cognitive processes, using a new methodology for functional brain imaging, magnetoencephalography (MEG), The project combines behavioral, computational, and biological methods to better understand (a) the nature of linguistic knowledge, (b) how logical expressions are acquired, and (c) how knowledge of logic and language are put to use by children in production and comprehension.Read moreRead less
Attention please! Selective attention and human associative learning. Selective attention allows us to pick useful pieces of information out of the mass of stimulation that we're faced with every moment. This project investigates how what we've previously learnt about the significance of events influences whether we'll pick them out as useful in future, and how this might be impaired by old age or mental disorder.