Understanding how animals use vision to explore their environment
Official title: Computational foundations of active visual sensing
Funded at Stanford University · NIH-11224388 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring how mice use their eyesight to find their way around and recognize things in tricky environments, and it’s designed for anyone interested in understanding how animals see and interact with the world around them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project start | November 2, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2022 |
| Award (this year) | $1,976,763 |
| NIH project number | 7UF1NS126566-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11224388 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for participation or benefit from this research would include individuals with visual processing disorders or those interested in the mechanisms of vision.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with stable visual function and no neurological conditions may not receive direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how animals actively use their vision to navigate and recognize objects in complex environments. By studying mice performing object recognition tasks in augmented reality, the team aims to uncover the neural and behavioral mechanisms behind active visual sensing. The project combines insights from visual neuroscience, behavior, and machine learning to develop models that explain how visual information is processed and acted upon. The research will involve real-time rendering of visual stimuli based on the animal's movements, allowing for a detailed analysis of both behavior and neural activity.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance our understanding of visual processing, potentially leading to improved treatments for visual impairments.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach of this research is novel, similar studies in visual neuroscience have shown promising results in understanding visual processing.
Where this research is happening
-
Stanford University
Stanford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tolias, Andreas — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Tolias, Andreas
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.