Research

Our existence to a great degree is dependent upon how efficiently we perceive and process information around us. Our sensory organs act as an interface that relays information from our surroundings to the central processing unit; the Brain. However, at any given instant the information relayed to the brain by our sensory organs is way beyond its processing bandwidth. Nonetheless, we are able to develop a continuous, stable perception of information around us. So how does our brain circumvent this problem?

Attention is a cognitive mechanism that helps the brain focus its processing resources to information that is relevant to current behavioral requirements. It can be considered as a filter allowing only behaviourally relevant information to access processing resources, thereby overcoming the performance bandwidth problem. Main aim of the lab is to study how attention helps in processing visual information. We are especially interested in studying mechanisms and principles  involved in deployment of attention. Is it dependent upon specific properties of incoming stimulus or can be generalized and independent of stimulus type?

To address our research question we employ neurophysiology (EEG) and eye-tracker methodologies to collect data from human participants while they are performing psychophysical experiments. Long term goal of the lab is to identify neural correlates of attention, which could then be extended to a neurofeedback cognitive therapy to treat various attentional disorders.

Funding