2010 'Sensory Coding and the Natural Environment'; Gordon Research Conference

Gordon Research Conferences, East Greenwich RI

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is a proposal to support a biennial international meeting on the topic of Sensory Coding and the Natural Environment. Sensory neuroscience is currently undergoing a rapid explosion in technologies that enable experimentation that is no longer constrained to the use of immobilized animals subjected to highly simplified stimuli. Large numbers of implantable electrodes able to transmit data about neural activity, advances in imaging techniques, the possibility to manipulate neuronal activity using light impulses while animals are awake and behaving, and the computational resources and techniques to simulate dynamic and responsive environments in the laboratory are only a few examples of the emerging sophistication in experimental methods. These methods permit direct observation and manipulation of the brain as it performs natural tasks in its natural environment. On one hand, theoretical and experimental studies have shown that sensory systems are able to exploit the complex correlations found in natural sounds and scenes to optimize their processing capacity. On the other hand, the complexity of the "real world" poses particular challenges, such as the sound source separation in the cocktail party problem. It is therefore critical to develop appropriate methods for handling input/output relationships of this complexity and to develop theoretical concepts that frame predictions about coding principles. These methodological and theoretical advances are key to the design of better hearing aids, sensory prosthetics or other technologies (such as the use of computer enhanced virtual environments) to address sensory or communicative disorders. This meeting therefore aims to bring together an interdisciplinary group of researchers with expertise in systems and cognitive neuroscience, perceptual psychology, statistics, signal processing, computer science and sensory aids to discuss the forefronts of research and emerging common principles and methods in sensory neuroscience in the context of natural environments and behavior. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Characterizing natural scene statistics and the complex, adaptive neural responses they elicit is essential for shedding light on neural information processing strategies, as well as for advancing the development of neural prostheses capable of transforming sounds and images encountered during natural behavior into a format interpretable by the brain. The goal of this project is to help fund an interdisciplinary meeting to discuss the latest findings on these topics.