Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Towards Human Sensory Augmentation: A Cognitive Neuroscience Framework for Evaluating Integration of New Signals within Perception, Brain Representations, and Subjective Experience

Nardini, Marko; Scheller, Meike; Ramsay, Melissa; Kristiansen, Olaf; Allen, Chris

Towards Human Sensory Augmentation: A Cognitive Neuroscience Framework for Evaluating Integration of New Signals within Perception, Brain Representations, and Subjective Experience Thumbnail


Authors

Dr Chris Allen christopher.p.allen@durham.ac.uk
Post Doctoral Research Associate



Abstract

New wearable devices and technologies provide unprecedented scope to augment or substitute human perceptual abilities. However, the flexibility to reorganize brain processing to use novel sensory signals during early sensitive periods in infancy is much less evident at later ages, making integration of new signals into adults’ perception a significant challenge. We believe that an approach informed by cognitive neuroscience is crucial for maximizing the true potential of new sensory technologies. Here, we present a framework for measuring and evaluating the extent to which new signals are integrated within existing structures of perception and experience. As our testbed, we use laboratory tasks in which healthy volunteers learn new, augmented perceptual-motor skills. We describe a suite of measures of (i) perceptual function (psychophysics), (ii) neural representations (fMRI/decoding), and (iii) subjective experience (qualitative interview/micro-phenomenology) targeted at testing hypotheses about how newly learned signals become integrated within perception and experience. As proof of concept, we provide example data showing how this approach allows us to measure changes in perception, neural processing, and subjective experience. We argue that this framework, in concert with targeted approaches to optimizing training and learning, provides the tools needed to develop and optimize new approaches to human sensory augmentation and substitution.

Citation

Nardini, M., Scheller, M., Ramsay, M., Kristiansen, O., & Allen, C. (2025). Towards Human Sensory Augmentation: A Cognitive Neuroscience Framework for Evaluating Integration of New Signals within Perception, Brain Representations, and Subjective Experience. Augmented Human Research, 10(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41133-024-00075-7

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Oct 12, 2024
Online Publication Date Oct 28, 2024
Publication Date Dec 1, 2025
Deposit Date Oct 30, 2024
Publicly Available Date Oct 30, 2024
Journal Augmented Human Research
Print ISSN 2365-4317
Electronic ISSN 2365-4325
Publisher Springer
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 10
Issue 1
Article Number 1
DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s41133-024-00075-7
Keywords Assistive augmentation, Sensory substitution, Sensory augmentation, Perception, Cognitive neuroscience, Wearable computing, Augmented reality, Human-centered computing → Human computer interaction (HCI); Visualization; Accessibility
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2993627

Files





You might also like



Downloadable Citations