Kenichi Ohki

Coordinate transformation circuits for multisensory unified perception

Research Director

Kenichi Ohki

Collaborator

Takuya Isomura

Unit Leader Center for Brain Science RIKEN

Outline

We perceive a unified image of the world by integrating multiple senses. For example, when we grasp an object in front of us, we naturally perceive the identity of the object touching our hand and the object we are looking at. In this study, we will elucidate the mechanism that produces such unified perception among multiple senses both experimentally and theoretically by elucidating the coordinate transformation circuit in the multisensory areas in the parietal and temporal lobes, and by predicting and verifying it based on the free energy principle.

Kazunori Ohno

Elucidation of super-sensing in dogs via social signals

Research Director

Kazunori Ohno

Collaborator

Takatomi Kubo	Associate Professor Graduate School of Science and Technology Nara Institute of Science and Technology
Miho Nagasawa	Associate Professor School of Veterinary Medicine Azabu University
Kouichi Fujiwara	Associate Professor School of Engineering Nagoya University
Toshitaka Yamakawa	Research Associate Department of Research and Development Quadlytics Inc.

Outline

There is a need for research on super sensing that estimates inner human emotions through social signals emitted unconsciously by humans. We propose research on the measurement and elucidation of the super sensing mechanism in which the canines notice human’s inner emotions through unconscious social signals. Facility dogs and general domestic dogs, which are easy to detect changes in the inner emotions of patients and owners, are used to elucidate the mechanism.

Hidehiko Takahashi

Manipulation and visualization of hallucination spectrum

Research Director

Hidehiko Takahashi

Collaborator

Yukiyasu Kamitani	Department Head Computational neuroscience laboratories Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International
Masayuki Hara	Associate Professor Graduate School of Science and Engineering Saitama University

Outline

We view the “hallucination spectrum” as a continuum of (1) information completion based on physiological predictions, (2) illusions, and (3) pathological hallucinations according to the degree of control over image generation based on brain predictions. External object, body, and self-images are also viewed as a continuum according to the size of the complementary information based on prediction. We aim to manipulate the hallucination spectrum using XR and robot technology and visualize the brain information representation of the hallucination spectrum by decoding brain information technology in healthy subjects and psychiatric/neurological disorders.

Masahiko Haruno

Multiple World Predictive Coding in Cyber Society

Research Director

Masahiko Haruno

Collaborator

Hideyuki Andou	Professor Department of Arts Osaka University of Arts
Tsuyoshi Nihonsugi	Professor Faculty of Economics Osaka University of Economics
Taku Hachisu	Assistant Professor Faculty of Engineering, Information and Systems University of Tsukuba

Outline

Now that cyber society where individuals move between several virtual worlds as different avatars and operate in multiple worlds is becoming a reality, it is desirable to develop multisensory information communication technology that enables humans to enjoy the benefits of multiple worlds without burdening the brain and body, and also enables self-transformation. In this research, researchers with backgrounds in computational neuroscience, VR technology, haptic devices, and behavioral economics will collaborate to elucidate the brain mechanisms of multiple-world predictive coding and its application.

Yutaka Hirata

Geometric understanding of spatial orientation

Research Director

Yutaka Hirata

Collaborator

Zin Arai	Professor School of Computing Tokyo Institute of Technology
Nobuyuki Kawai	Professor Graduate school of Informatics Nagoya University

Outline

The perception of one’s own posture and motion state is called spatial orientation. Spatial orientation is formed by integrating multimodal sensory information from vestibular, visual, and somatosensory systems. Animals that have evolved and developed on the earth use gravity, which is invariant at 1 G directed downward, as a reference axis, and form spatial orientation based on gravity sensation estimated in the brain. In this study, we formulate the neural mechanism of gravity perception and spatial orientation formation by multisensory integration using a new mathematical theory, and establish a method to manipulate spatial orientation.

Hiroaki Wake

Integrated understanding of the sensory-cognitive system through neuro-immune interaction

Research Director

Hiroaki Wake

Collaborator

Kazuo Emoto	Professor School of Science The University of Tokyo
Rie Hasebe	Specially Appointed Associate Professor National Institute for Physiological Sciences National Institutes of Natural Sciences
Osamu Matoba	Professor Center for Optical Scattering Image Science Kobe University

Outline

In this study, we will elucidate the molecular and circuit mechanisms, and immune contribution on peripheral and central sensory information processing to clarify the pathological sensory processing in psychiatric diseases. First, the sensory-immune coupling in the peripheral nervous system will be clarified at each developmental stage, focusing on molecular dynamics. Furthermore, sensory transmission using holographic microscopy developed by the applicants will be used to extract pathological features.