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Optical flows and virtual reality: how the brain interprets movement.
Funding: PNRR
This human study uses functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to record the activity of visual area V6, a cortical region crucial in processing motion and perception of space. Stimulus targeting this portion of the brain employs motion-based visual stimuli, presented through an immersive Virtual Reality (VR) environment. Such methodological choice allows recreating highly controlled yet natural conditions, realistically simulating the optical flow and movement patterns typical of everyday visual experience in a three-dimensional space. The approach integrates experimental rigor with high ecological validity, offering the possibility to explore how the human brain processes dynamic and complex information in contexts closer to reality. The combined use of fNIRS and VR opens new perspectives in the study of the neural basis of visual perception and motion.
FNIRS recordings from the V6 area in Virtual Reality environments open up numerous applications in both the clinical and technological fields. In the medical field, the possibility of simulating optical flows and three-dimensional movement patterns in controlled conditions allows the development of rehabilitation protocols for patients with visual disorders or deficits in movement perception, such as those resulting from cortical lesions or neurodegenerative pathologies. At the same time, the employment of VR offers new perspectives in the study of the neural mechanisms underlying balance disorders and spatial navigation, with potential repercussions in the early diagnosis and personalization of therapies. In the technological field, understanding how the V6 area processes motion allows improving computer vision algorithms, autonomous driving systems and human-machine interfaces, favoring the development of tools that are more intuitive and close to the natural functioning of the human brain.
TRL: 2
Cluster applicativi:
Healthcare, Lifescience
Healthcare, Lifescience
Settori Scientifico Disciplinari
Spoke 4 : Perception and Brain-Body Interaction
