Naslov
Exploring the brain’s capacity to develop novel sensory abilities

Autori
Bubić, Andreja

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, neobjavljeni rad, stručni

Skup
Science and Fiction: Crossing the Boundaries

Mjesto i datum
Leipzig, Njemačka, 09.2009

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Nije recenziran

Ključne riječi
blindness; rehabilitation; sensory substitution

Sažetak
Superheroes appear in various shapes and forms, develop under unique circumstances and come armed with different super-powers. One category of such powers, as shared by Superman, Spiderman, Wolverine, Daredevil, Super Woman and many others, includes enhanced sensory abilities. This category comprises not only the enhancement of ordinary senses, such as vision, hearing or smell, but also the development of human-atypical senses which include ultrasound hearing, infrared vision, night vision, X-ray vision and alike. Although most people would consider these abilities to be fully fictional or impossible, there might be something more in this suggestion that meets the layman’s eye. Armed with the power of super-scientific-insight, this presentation will show that super-sensory abilities are closer to science than they are to fiction. This will be illustrated by presenting some of the remarkable outcomes associated with the use of sensory substitution devices, a special class of techniques developed for rehabilitation following sensory loss, primarily blindness. These devices use artificial receptors and human-machine interfaces to capture and transmit visual information to the brains of the blind, thereby exploiting their remaining, ordinary-functioning sensory systems. After training which such devices, the blind can learn to interpret and use the transmitted information for, e.g., visual discrimination, recognition or visuo-spatial processing. Although this outcome may not be so surprising in case of the late blinded, it is truly remarkable when encountered in congenitally blind who lack previous visual experience and, consequently, visual system as such. If (even rudimentary) visual perception can be developed in the visually-impaired without any surgical procedures or medical wonders, what stops the infrared-impaired from developing infrared vision or ultrasound-impaired from acquiring ultrasound hearing? The initial experiences from the SSDs suggest that, in case the physical energy is out there, “all” you need is a little help from a simple sensor and good training to start processing it with your own brain. Without any intention to trivialize truly amazing results and future potentials of rehabilitation techniques available for blind, what is there more to say except “To the Batcave!”

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Temeljne medicinske znanosti, Psihologija

POVEZANOST RADA