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How camera-equipped homing pigeons could improve robotic vision in flight

A new study led by Dr. Anthony Lapsansky and Dr. Doug Altshuler found that pigeons make slow, subtle eye movements during flight to gather more information about their surroundings. This research has implications for the development of autonomous flying robots or drones, which can learn from bird-like visual strategies.

SourceUniversity of British Columbia·JournalCurrent Biology
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Blink to the beat

A study published in PLOS Biology found that people's spontaneous eye blinks synchronize with musical beats, indicating a deep coordination between hearing and action. This discovery sheds light on how our brains process rhythm and could lead to new treatments for neurological conditions affecting body movement.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·TypeExperimental study

Mobile mindfulness meditation apps may improve attention

A recent study published in eNeuro found that mobile mindfulness meditation apps can improve attention control in adults, as measured by eye movement tasks. Self-reported measures suggest that participants were unaware of the cognitive improvement from meditation.

SourceSociety for Neuroscience·JournaleNeuro
Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

Don’t hit snooze on new research about waking up each morning

A new study led by researchers at Mass General Brigham found that more than half of sleep sessions end in a snooze alarm, with users spending an average of 11 minutes on the device. Snooze usage varied by day of the week and was lower among those sleeping five or fewer hours.

SourceBrigham and Women's Hospital·JournalScientific Reports·TypeObservational study

Babies follow social cues despite trauma

Researchers found that babies from insecure backgrounds can still follow social cues, sparking hope for their development. The study used eye movement measurements and interviewed parents to assess a child's background and circumstances, concluding that some skills are intact despite trauma.

SourceUppsala University·JournalPsychological Science·TypeObservational study

New 3D technology paves way for next-generation eye-tracking

Researchers at the University of Arizona have developed a new 3D imaging technique, deflectometry, paired with advanced computation to improve eye-tracking accuracy. The method can capture gaze direction information from more than 40,000 surface points, theoretically millions, increasing accuracy by a factor of over 3,000 compared to c...

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study

Follow the fish's gaze

Researchers developed a new technology to track the eye movements of free-swimming fish in 3D, without invasive methods. The method analyzes video recordings to reconstruct the fish's 3D body posture, eye position, and retinal view, providing insights into their collective behavior.

SourceUniversity of Konstanz·JournalCommunications Biology

Eyes on the brain at the University of Houston

Researchers found that autistic children prioritize faces in different ways, particularly when first seeing them, using an exploratory pattern characterized by larger face regions of interest. This may be associated with autism-related symptomology and decreased visual sensitivity to face information.

SourceUniversity of Houston·JournalBiological Psychiatry
Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter is a trusted meter for precise measurements during instrument integration, repairs, and field diagnostics.

Seeing the future: how expectations guide eye movements

A study found that people's eyes are drawn to areas with high potential for change before any movement occurs, even when the scene appears static. This behavior is not limited to animate objects and has significant implications for intelligent machines.

SourceTechnische Universität Berlin – Science of Intelligence·JournalPsychological Science

New model of neuronal circuit provides insight on eye movement

A new model of neuronal circuit provides insight into how the brain handles short-term memory and guides eye movement. The study used a simplified artificial circuit based on the architecture of the zebrafish brainstem network to predict activity in the system.

SourceWeill Cornell Medicine·JournalNature Neuroscience

Research team discovers disruption of visual stability

A study by the University of Münster's research team led by Prof Markus Lappe found that smooth eye movements cannot be performed for all types of visual motion, leading to a disruption of spatial perception. The researchers also discovered that the compensation mechanism for rapid eye movements is overridden when certain non-rigid mov...

SourceUniversity of Münster·JournalScience Advances
SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Kessler Foundation’s Silvana Lopes Costa, PhD, honored with Women in Neurodegenerative Disease Rehabilitation Science Award from ACRM

Silvana Lopes Costa, PhD, of Kessler Foundation has received the Women in Neurodegenerative Disease Rehabilitation Science Award for her groundbreaking research on multiple sclerosis and cognitive assessment. Her work aims to improve quality of life among individuals with neurological conditions through innovative rehabilitation science.

SourceKessler Foundation

Rapid horizontal eye movement can improve stability in people with Parkinson’s

Researchers found that participants with Parkinson's who performed rapid side-to-side eye movements showed reduced body sway and improved posture. In contrast, those with Parkinson's who made vertical saccadic eye movements experienced increased body instability.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalBiomechanics

Subtle eye movements optimize vision

Researchers from Universitatsklinikum Bonn found that tiny eye movements and photoreceptor density in the fovea contribute to sharp vision. The study used high-resolution imaging and micro-psychophysics to demonstrate how finely tuned eye movements provide optimal sampling by cones, leading to better visual acuity.

SourceUniversitatsklinikum Bonn·JournaleLife

Activity in brain system that controls eye movements highlights importance of spatial thinking

The superior colliculus, a brain region traditionally thought to control eye movements, also plays a crucial role in complex cognitive tasks like visual categorization and decision making. Research from UChicago shows that activity in this region is more involved than previously thought in guiding cognitive processes.

SourceUniversity of Chicago·JournalNature Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study
Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm) tracks health metrics and safety alerts during long observing sessions, fieldwork, and remote expeditions.

Why do we blink so much?

Researchers from the University of Rochester found that blinking allows brains to process visual information more effectively, providing a new understanding of how humans see. By modulating visual input, blinks reformulate visual signals, enabling better perception of big patterns and overall visual scenes.

SourceUniversity of Rochester

Pupil contraction indicates hidden cognitive fatigue in prolonged esports play across various skill levels

Researchers found that subjective fatigue did not increase until 2 hours of play, while pupillary constriction occurred at 2 and 3 hours, indicating cognitive fatigue despite varying levels of expertise. This suggests that monitoring pupil constriction could help detect cognitive resource depletion in mentally demanding environments.

SourceUniversity of Tsukuba·JournalComputers in Human Behavior

Your eyes talk to your ears. Scientists know what they’re saying.

Researchers at Duke University have discovered that subtle ear sounds can be decoded to pinpoint where someone's eyes are looking. By analyzing these sounds, the team was able to estimate the movement of the eyes and predict what the waveform of the ear sound would look like.

SourceDuke University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study

Study reduces ‘vivid imagery’ that fuels addiction cravings

Researchers tested EMDR, a therapy proven to treat PTSD and depression, to reduce addiction cravings. The study found Addiction-focused EMDR was as effective as cognitive behavioral therapy for cravings, reducing symptoms by clinically significant amounts.

SourceFlorida Atlantic University·JournalJournal of Evidence-Based Social Work·TypeExperimental study
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.

Ballet of the brain: Unlocking the choreography of movement

Researchers used a new analytical approach to understand how the brain controls movement and eye stability in zebrafish. By analyzing neuronal activity, they identified two main features that correspond to specific types of movements, including eye rotation and body positioning.

SourceChampalimaud Centre for the Unknown·JournalCurrent Biology

The eyes are a window into the deciding mind

Researchers at Tohoku University found that perceptual decision-making interferes with unrelated eye movements but not hand movements, indicating nerve signals involved in decision-making continuously flow into the oculomotor eye-movement system.

SourceTohoku University·JournalCommunications Biology

Tracking drivers’ eyes can determine ability to take back control from ‘auto-pilot’ mode

A new method can detect drivers' attention levels from their eye movements, enabling the development of more effective takeover signals. The study found that drivers who are engrossed in on-screen activities take longer to respond to warnings, highlighting a potential safety concern.

SourceUniversity College London·JournalCognitive Research Principles and Implications·TypeExperimental study
DJI Air 3 (RC-N2)

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2) captures 4K mapping passes and environmental surveys with dual cameras, long flight time, and omnidirectional obstacle sensing.

Sleep phase can reduce anxiety in people with PTSD

Researchers discovered that sleep spindles can alleviate anxiety in people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), contradicting recent findings. The study found that spindle rate frequency was higher during a stressful visit than a control visit, suggesting non-invasive ways to harness the benefits of this sleep stage for symptom ...

SourceUniversity of California - San Francisco·JournalBiological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging

Tiny eye movements are under a surprising degree of cognitive control

Researchers discovered that ocular drifts, tiny jitters in the eyes, can be influenced by prior knowledge of expected visual targets, indicating a surprising level of cognitive control. This study adds to our understanding of how vision is controlled and directed by cognitive processes.

SourceWeill Cornell Medicine·JournalCell

Art evokes feelings in the body

A study of over 1,186 participants from various countries found that art evokes positive emotions, often despite dealing with sad or scary topics. The researchers discovered that human figures in art pieces can elicit empathy and mirroring, which contributes to the emotional experience.

SourceUniversity of Turku·JournalCognition & Emotion
GoPro HERO13 Black

GoPro HERO13 Black records stabilized 5.3K video for instrument deployments, field notes, and outreach, even in harsh weather and underwater conditions.

Readers found to rely on word spelling rather than sound in reading

A study published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology found that Russian-speaking readers, including both children and adults, rely on orthographic information during parafoveal pre-processing. The participants were able to recognize words with incorrect letter order more easily than those with pseudohomophones.

SourceNational Research University Higher School of Economics·JournalJournal of Experimental Child Psychology

Virtual reality game to objectively detect ADHD

A virtual reality game called EPELI has been developed to assess ADHD symptoms in children by simulating everyday situations. The game uses eye tracking and machine learning to detect differences in eye movements, which can indicate attention deficits.

SourceAalto University·JournalScientific Reports

Psychology: What gazes reveal about us

Researchers found that eye movements reflect task engagement and goal pursuit, suggesting that gaze can be an indicator of attention state. The study used eye movement analysis to understand complex task processing, including the distinction between ambient and focal modes.

SourceTechnische Universität Dresden·JournalPLOS ONE
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C) provide clear calls and strong noise reduction for interviews, conferences, and noisy field environments.

Fruit flies move their retinas much like humans move their eyes

Fruit flies have evolved to adjust their vision by moving the retinas inside their eyes, similar to human eye movements. This allows them to track moving objects and maintain visual resolution despite having fewer photoreceptors than humans.

SourceRockefeller University·JournalNature

The prose of Dr. Seuss shines a light on how the brain processes speech

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center used fMRI to study how the brain processes complex audiovisual speech. The study found that watching a narrator tell a story activates an extensive network of brain regions involved in sensory processing and cognitive functions associated with comprehension. This finding has pot...

SourceUniversity of Rochester Medical Center·JournalNeuroImage

What guides our attention to faces in videos changes with age

Researchers discovered that face centering, not saliency, plays a key role in guiding attention to faces in videos as people age. The findings have implications for children's television programming and the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalInfancy·TypeObservational study
Creality K1 Max 3D Printer

Creality K1 Max 3D Printer rapidly prototypes brackets, adapters, and fixtures for instruments and classroom demonstrations at large build volume.

Social development of infants unaffected by COVID-19 pandemic

Researchers at University of Zurich found that the presence of parents and caregivers mitigates pandemic's negative effects on social development in infants. Infants born during COVID-19 pandemic exhibit similar social behavior as same-aged infants before pandemic, with no significant behavioral differences detected.

SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalInfancy·TypeExperimental study

Gestures can improve understanding in language disorders

A new study found that people with severe speaking difficulties pay more attention to hand gestures when their verbal communication is impeded. This highlights the importance of incorporating gestures into therapy for individuals with aphasia.

SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalNeuropsychologia·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial

Extra “eye” movements are the key to better self-driving cars

A new AI system uses artificial neural networks to recognize objects more accurately and stably, despite changing visual inputs. The system mimics human eye movements to improve machine vision capabilities, reducing errors in self-driving cars and other applications.

SourceRIKEN·JournalPLOS Computational Biology

This illusion, new to science, is strong enough to trick our reflexes

A new study reveals an 'expanding hole' illusion that deceives the brain, prompting a dilation reflex in the pupils and making us perceive more light. The illusion is perceived by approximately 86% of people and affects how our visual system anticipates and makes sense of the visual world.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Human Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study
GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.

Guidance developed for rare ‘dancing eyes syndrome’

The international consensus on diagnosing and treating opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome has been published, providing support for families and clinicians. The guidance outlines the condition's characteristics, causes, and management options, aiming to improve care for affected children.

SourceNIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College London·JournalNeurology·TypeNews article

Better assess the needs of people with multiple disabilities

Researchers at UNIGE develop new method using eye-tracking to evaluate social-emotional and perceptive abilities in children and adolescents with severe multiple disabilities. This approach enables assessment of individual skills and preferences, allowing for personalized stimulation and care devices.

SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalPLOS ONE·TypeNews article
Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only)

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only) delivers reliable low-light performance and rugged build for astrophotography, lab documentation, and field expeditions.

When the brain sees a familiar face

When the eyes land on a face, certain cells in the amygdala react and trigger memory-making activity. Theta wave activity is also reset or restarted, preparing the hippocampus to receive new socially relevant information.

SourceCedars-Sinai Medical Center·JournalScience Advances

The language of the eyes

A study by Dr. Fuhimiro Kano and colleagues found that humans can distinguish gaze directions from each other more accurately than chimpanzees, particularly in challenging conditions. The researchers used computerized tasks to present images of human and chimpanzee eyes to both species, with white sclera in the chimpanzee eye improving...

SourceUniversity of Konstanz·JournaleLife

Simulated human eye movement aims to train metaverse platforms

Researchers at Duke University developed EyeSyn, a virtual eyes system that simulates human eye movement to train metaverse platforms. The system reduces privacy concerns and allows smaller companies to access the metaverse with minimal resources.

SourceDuke University·TypeExperimental study

Our eye movements reveal our emotions during sleep

Researchers found that negative emotions during dreams are associated with rapid eye movements in bursts, while positive emotions correlate with slow eye movements. This study provides new understanding of the role of REM sleep in regulating emotions and its link to mental health.

SourceInstitut du Cerveau (Paris Brain Institute)·JournalScientific Reports
Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.

Coffee time: Caffeine improves reaction to moving targets

A study found that caffeine increases alertness and detection accuracy for moving targets, improving reaction times and visual processing. Researchers tested participants' dynamic visual acuity skills before and after caffeine ingestion, showing significant improvements in accuracy and speed.

SourceUniversity of Waterloo·JournalJournal of Psychopharmacology

AI-powered glaucoma screening test delivers rapid results

A new rapid screening test for glaucoma uses infra-red sensors to monitor eye movement, providing accurate results within seconds. The test could help advance early detection of the disease, a leading cause of irreversible blindness, and make it more accessible for national screening programs.

SourceRMIT University·JournalIEEE Access·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial

Our eyes and brain work together to create a ‘pipeline’ of meaning – new study

Researchers at the University of Birmingham discovered that humans process written words rapidly, using pre-processing judgments within 100ms, and that this activity is linked to the complexity of the word. This study has significant implications for diagnosing and training individuals with dyslexia where pre-processing is impaired.

SourceUniversity of Birmingham·JournalTrends in Cognitive Sciences·TypeCommentary/editorial

Following the bouncing eyeball in augmented reality

Researchers have integrated holographic optical elements to create a waveguide eye-tracking system that can track eye movements in near-infrared wavelengths. This design enables the development of more efficient and powerful augmented reality systems.

SourceSPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics·JournalOptical Engineering·TypeExperimental study

Batters move their heads to keep their eyes on the ball

Researchers found that batters keep their eye on the ball but move their head to direct their gaze. The study suggests that this movement may help reduce visual calculations needed for accurate bat placement. Further investigation is needed to determine if eye-gaze-based training can improve batting performance.

SourceOhio State University·JournalOptometry and Vision Science·TypeLiterature review
Meta Quest 3 512GB

Meta Quest 3 512GB enables immersive mission planning, terrain rehearsal, and interactive STEM demos with high-resolution mixed-reality experiences.

How do we know where things are?

Researchers at Dartmouth College discovered that the brain uses a 'steadycam' strategy to stabilize visual experience, perceiving frames as stationary even when they're clearly moving. This 'paradoxical stabilization' effect creates the illusion of stable images, similar to how our brains discount motion in everyday life.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Bigger brains gave squirrels the capacity to move up in the world

A study suggests that squirrels' bigger brains have enabled them to thrive in woodland environments, with improved vision and motor skills. The research found that tree-dwelling rodents' brains have evolved to include larger neocortex and petrosal lobules regions, allowing for better eye movements and tracking of objects.

SourceUniversity of Edinburgh·JournalCommunications Biology

CCNY researchers demonstrate how to measure student attention during remote learning

CCNY researchers use standard web cameras to track students' eye movements and predict test scores based on educational videos. They found that attentive students have higher inter-subject correlation of eye movements, making online education adaptable to individual attention levels in real-time.

SourceCity College of New York·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.

Scientists improved eye tracking technology in VR systems

Researchers developed a mathematical model to predict next gaze fixation points in foveated rendering, improving speed and accuracy. The new method reduced inaccuracy by 10 times and was tested with VR helmets and AR glasses.

SourceRUDN University·JournalSID Symposium Digest of Technical Papers