Research

Visual Psychophysics and Perception Research Group

Modelling and understanding visual processing

Members of the Research Group

Dr Joshua Solomon Leader
Professor John Barbur Member
Mrs Jennie Birch Member
Professor Manfred Fahle Member
Professor Chris Hammond Member
Mr Alister Harlow Member
Dr Dean Melmoth Member
Professor Michael Morgan Member
Professor Gordon Plant Member
Dr Marisa Rodriguez-Carmona Member
Professor Ted Sharpe Member
Professor Larry Weiskrantz Member
Dr Janet Wolf Member

Aims

The research activities in this group focus on studies designed to unravel the properties of visual mechanisms and to understand changes in disease. Computer modelling of visual processes and the motor response play an important part in these studies. Several projects also employ brain imaging techniques to reveal the processing of different stimulus attributes in various areas of the cortex and the function of subcortical projections in human vision. Many studies are multidisciplinary and can involve collaboration with research groups that specialise in the use of other experimental techniques (Retinal imaging / adaptive optics: C Dainty, National University of Ireland; Genetics of human colour vision: J & M Neitz, University of Wisconsin; Computational modelling: P Dayan, L Zhaoping, University College London; O Schwartz, A. Einstein College of Medicine). The research studies are carried out in three closely linked labs.

Support has been obtained from EPSRC, BBSRC and the BIOMED 2 Program of the European Community which funded the VIPROM (Visual Processing of Movement) consortium led by MM and included MF. Current grants support two postdocs and one RA. The basic skills of the group are in Psychophysics, Mathematical Modelling (especially Signal Detection theory), and Cognitive Neuroscience (MM is an Honorary member of the Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience at UCL).


Research Labs

The group consists of the following labs:

  1. Perception
  2. Brain Imaging and Active Vision
  3. Colour Research and Clinical Applications