Motor coordination in infancy and its relationship to motor and psychosocial development in childhood. Few studies have examined the impact of early motor development on later development, even though there is evidence to show that these early movements influence later motor ability. Motor development can also impact on cognitive, emotional and social development. The current study has data on early motor ability in over 90 infants which includes children at risk of developmental disorders. We ....Motor coordination in infancy and its relationship to motor and psychosocial development in childhood. Few studies have examined the impact of early motor development on later development, even though there is evidence to show that these early movements influence later motor ability. Motor development can also impact on cognitive, emotional and social development. The current study has data on early motor ability in over 90 infants which includes children at risk of developmental disorders. We will carry out a longitudinal investigation of the relationship between early motor development in infancy on motor and psychosocial development in childhood. The results will provide information on early markers for developmental disorders and appropriate intervention techniques than can be initiated in infancy. Read moreRead less
Preparatory processes in rapid interceptive action. This project investigates the nature of the processes involved in preparing to act in response to a moving object: actions that elite sportspeople perform with amazing precision: timing to within a few thousandths of a second is routine when hitting a ball in tennis and cricket. The average person can be capable of something similar and it means being ready to make the right movement at the right time. Understanding the preparatory processes in ....Preparatory processes in rapid interceptive action. This project investigates the nature of the processes involved in preparing to act in response to a moving object: actions that elite sportspeople perform with amazing precision: timing to within a few thousandths of a second is routine when hitting a ball in tennis and cricket. The average person can be capable of something similar and it means being ready to make the right movement at the right time. Understanding the preparatory processes involved will be a significant scientific advance and knowledge of their workings and limits can contribute to the development of strategies for improving safety in dynamic environments such as city roads. This project will put an Australian laboratory at the cutting edge in this area of research.Read moreRead less
Revealing the beneficial effects of acoustic stimulation on the human brain. This project aims to provide greater understanding of the neural mechanisms by which initiation of motor responses can be improved by unexpected auditory stimulation. Initiating motor actions appears natural and effortless, but is underpinned by complex neural mechanisms that are not well understood. Using novel brain stimulation techniques, the project aims to assess the potential for properly timed strong sensory stim ....Revealing the beneficial effects of acoustic stimulation on the human brain. This project aims to provide greater understanding of the neural mechanisms by which initiation of motor responses can be improved by unexpected auditory stimulation. Initiating motor actions appears natural and effortless, but is underpinned by complex neural mechanisms that are not well understood. Using novel brain stimulation techniques, the project aims to assess the potential for properly timed strong sensory stimulation during movement preparation to induce neural plasticity and motor learning. This knowledge would have important implications across a number of fields, including neuroscience, sports science, and applied ergonomics.Read moreRead less
Applying psychological science to prevent prospective memory error in simulations of air traffic control. The outcomes of this research will inform the design of interventions to prevent individuals from forgetting to perform actions in safety-critical work settings, strengthening Australia's reputation for extending basic science to applied domains.
How do past actions and rewards bias goal directed movement? This project aims to identify how different aspects of our past experience affect the accuracy of movements, and study the underlying brain mechanisms. This project will use timing methods and brain recordings to test how the history of movements we have executed in the past, and the rewards associated with those movements, interact to affect subsequent movement execution. The project should advance basic understanding of how the human ....How do past actions and rewards bias goal directed movement? This project aims to identify how different aspects of our past experience affect the accuracy of movements, and study the underlying brain mechanisms. This project will use timing methods and brain recordings to test how the history of movements we have executed in the past, and the rewards associated with those movements, interact to affect subsequent movement execution. The project should advance basic understanding of how the human brain controls movement, and provide theoretical foundations needed to improve the design of human-machine interfaces, and training approaches in industry, rehabilitation and sport.Read moreRead less
Brain mechanisms of learning in visually-guided movement. Each year 40,000 Australian suffer from stoke with many left with problems of limb function. In understanding and enhancing the conditions that promote motor adaptation, this research will make a significant contribution to the design of programs for rehabilitation of the upper limbs to enhance quality of life and reduced health care costs.
How brain oscillations influence our behaviour. This project aims to reveal how sudden, intense stimuli impair or facilitate concurrent actions. Startling sounds can disrupt the execution of movements and distract attention from vital events in the environment, with potential disastrous consequences when handling complex equipment such as airplanes, cars and trucks, or surgical instruments. This project will combine classic experimental and novel neuro-modulatory techniques with the measurement ....How brain oscillations influence our behaviour. This project aims to reveal how sudden, intense stimuli impair or facilitate concurrent actions. Startling sounds can disrupt the execution of movements and distract attention from vital events in the environment, with potential disastrous consequences when handling complex equipment such as airplanes, cars and trucks, or surgical instruments. This project will combine classic experimental and novel neuro-modulatory techniques with the measurement of oscillatory brain activity. Expect outcomes will inform theories of cognitive function and the design of interventions to reduce the negative effects of sudden, distracting events.Read moreRead less
The dynamics of goal-oriented leader behaviour in action teams. Organisations increasingly rely on action teams - those that form swiftly to tackle urgent, potentially dangerous incidents that unfold rapidly in uncertain environments. Effective leadership is critical for managing teams in such dynamic situations. However, little is understood about the dynamic behaviours required of action team leaders to effectively manage goal-directed action. The project will integrate self-regulation, team l ....The dynamics of goal-oriented leader behaviour in action teams. Organisations increasingly rely on action teams - those that form swiftly to tackle urgent, potentially dangerous incidents that unfold rapidly in uncertain environments. Effective leadership is critical for managing teams in such dynamic situations. However, little is understood about the dynamic behaviours required of action team leaders to effectively manage goal-directed action. The project will integrate self-regulation, team leadership and team theories to propose when team leaders should perform various behaviours and for how long, in order to develop the team states required for effectiveness. The project will then test the model with Incident Command and Surgical teams. Results aim to uncover prescriptive guidelines for the training and management of action team leaders.Read moreRead less
Determining the neural mechanisms of visual stimuli and motor responses. This project aims to determine how we select actions to visual cues rapidly, unconsciously and automatically. Learning associations between visual stimuli and motor responses is part of normal development and continues throughout life. Rapid deployment of these actions is often critical for safety yet we have limited knowledge of how the human brain does this. This project will use neuroimaging tools to characterise the spa ....Determining the neural mechanisms of visual stimuli and motor responses. This project aims to determine how we select actions to visual cues rapidly, unconsciously and automatically. Learning associations between visual stimuli and motor responses is part of normal development and continues throughout life. Rapid deployment of these actions is often critical for safety yet we have limited knowledge of how the human brain does this. This project will use neuroimaging tools to characterise the spatial and temporal neural architecture underlying these processes and determine how the dorsal and ventral streams of visual processing, specialised for motor control and recognition respectively, interact in vision-based actions as these actions become learned.Outcomes will provide new frameworks for driving improvement in any domain in which goal-directed actions depend on the rapid processing of visual information, including human-machine interfaces for defence, economic development, education, health, science and technology.Read moreRead less
Neural correlates of performance trade-offs and interference in dual-task performance. Our daily lives are characterised by our ability to produce and sustain a wide range of different movement patterns and to deliberately change patterns as the situation demands. In this project we seek to understand the relationship between brain processes, attentional demands, and the control and learning of coordinated behaviour. A further aim will be to examine how this relationship may be altered as a re ....Neural correlates of performance trade-offs and interference in dual-task performance. Our daily lives are characterised by our ability to produce and sustain a wide range of different movement patterns and to deliberately change patterns as the situation demands. In this project we seek to understand the relationship between brain processes, attentional demands, and the control and learning of coordinated behaviour. A further aim will be to examine how this relationship may be altered as a result of aging, degenerative disease, or brain damage. This research will provide a foundation upon which rehabilitation strategies can be developed for the movement impaired.Read moreRead less