Researchers at the University of Minnesota discovered that erotic images can trigger unconscious brain responses in individuals based on their gender and sexual orientation. The study found that even when subjects were unaware of the images, they shifted their visual attention accordingly. The results suggest that the brain processes v...
Researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging to study brain activity during sensory processing and introspection. They found that sensory processing activated the sensory cortex, while introspection activated the prefrontal cortex, which was silenced during intense sensory engagement.
Researchers used fMRI to show that a brain region called the intraparietal sulcus is activated when both four-year-olds and adults perceive numerical quantities. The study suggests that basic math skills are laid down early in development and continue to process mathematical information into adulthood.
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is providing $10 million in grants to 12 US universities to develop innovative graduate education programs. The programs aim to produce scientists with knowledge and skills to conduct research at the intersection of biomedical, physical, and computational sciences.
A study published in PLoS Medicine found that people with Alzheimer's disease have difficulty suppressing irrelevant brain activity, which can lead to cognitive impairments. This defective focusing process is characterized by reduced cross-modal inhibition, where auditory and visual processing areas are not properly deactivated.
Research by Vanderbilt University psychologist David Zald found that emotional images can lead to a phenomenon known as 'emotion-induced blindness,' where individuals fail to detect subsequent visual images. This effect is linked to personality traits, with those scoring high on harm avoidance being more affected.
Researchers found that intrinsically photoreceptive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) are present at birth and act as functional photoreceptors, providing input to the suprachiasmatic nucleus. This discovery has implications for the effect of light on early retinal development.
The University of Manchester is developing a state-of-the-art Vision Chip that will enable robots to respond to events and multitask like humans. The chip, based on the retina of the human eye, will process complex images at rapid rates, allowing robots to react in real time.
A new 'bionic eye' system aims to restore some degree of sight for people with degenerative retinal diseases like retinitis pigmentosa. The system, developed by ophthalmologists and physicists, uses a tiny camera and computer processor to directly stimulate the inner retina with visual signals.
Researchers found that people rapidly categorize objects before they identify them, contradicting the long-held assumption that object recognition begins with categorization. This built-in process enables fast and efficient visual perception, facilitating survival and interaction with the environment.
Researchers found neural patterns in adult ferrets' visual cortex correlated with images viewed, but not in young ferrets. Adult ferret brains showed 80% processing activity even in darkness, suggesting the basis of comprehending vision may differ in young and old brains.
A University of Colorado at Boulder research team has located a massive body of rock that sank into Earth's mantle 3.5 million years ago, allowing the Sierra Nevada mountains to rise. The study used high-tech instruments to image the geology to 125 miles below the surface.
Researchers found that visual perception can stabilize in ambiguous conditions, independent of the memory of object identity. The mechanism underlying this stabilization is linked to the removal of local adaptation and depends on the stimulus location.
A UCL study found that empathy for pain involves the affective but not sensory components of pain, and is triggered by the perception of a loved one's pain. The researchers discovered specific brain regions are activated when observing another person in pain, highlighting the emotional representation of internal bodily states.
A new study suggests that individuals with autism can develop face recognition skills through specialized training. The research found that the fusiform gyrus, a brain region responsible for face processing, is activated in adults with autism, but requires training to function properly.
A new RIT study aims to improve the quality of art imaging in American museums by documenting current practices and developing new testing procedures. The project will also increase the scientific level of museum imaging professionals.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon developed a smart system that improves darkened photographs by digitally adding light to shadows. The tool, called Shadow Illuminator, uses principles based on human vision processes to enhance details within shadows.
A digital imaging system is being developed to automate the inspection process at a bakery, allowing for faster and more accurate quality control. The system uses computerized vision technology to identify imperfections in bread rolls and automatically remove them from production lines.
Researchers have developed a new method called kinetic visualization that uses colored dots and motion to present three-dimensional scientific or medical data. This technique allows computers to display data in a different way, providing shape information and attracting attention to important areas.
Research at Cornell University found that cooking tomatoes enhances nutritional value by increasing lycopene content, a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin C levels decrease with heat, but antioxidants in cooked tomatoes increase, potentially reducing chronic disease risk.
A new type of analog processor, compact and fast for image processing, has the potential to replace damaged human retinas with an artificial eye. The cellular nonlinear network (CNN) chip is integrated with a camera to produce an image processor, mimicking the functions of the retina.
Research by Marlene Behrmann seeks to understand how the human brain interprets visual information, enabling us to recognize objects and locations. Her work aims to shed light on the neural processes underlying visual mental imagery and its relationship with perception.
The University of Colorado at Boulder has acquired two state-of-the-art electron microscopes, enabling researchers to image cellular structures in three dimensions at unprecedented resolution. This advancement is made possible by a suite of complementing computers that run programs developed by CU-Boulder researchers.
Researchers are developing computer simulations of human visual processing to help individuals with low-vision disorders. The technology aims to process images in ways that compensate for defects, such as macular degeneration and glaucoma.
Purdue University researchers developed a Near-Infrared Raman Imaging Microscope called NIRIM, which can analyze composite materials in real time. The instrument uses laser light to fingerprint samples as they are viewed under a microscope, providing detailed chemical information.
Researchers developed a new imaging technique to identify abnormal blood vessels in the brain, improving diagnosis and treatment of related conditions. The 'high resolution BOLD venography' method revealed detailed information on blood vessel malformations in nine out of ten patients.