Research summary
By learning more about how our brains operate, scientists can develop neuroscientific applications for use in people’s everyday lives—and virtual reality is helping to bring this cognitive neuroscience research closer to the real world.
Dr. Jody Culham, Canada Research Chair in Immersive Neuroscience, is using immersive neuroscience to understand brain functions in realistic environments and compelling virtual simulations. For example, she and her research team are measuring how people’s brains activate while they perform everyday actions, like grasping objects and feeding themselves. They are also using virtual reality to investigate whether simulations can be an effective substitute for reality versus whether there are crucial differences that affect behaviour and brain processes.