Constructing stable spatial maps of the world D Burr |
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University of Florence, Italy
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| Constructing a spatial map of the world from visual signals poses major challenges to the brain, given that the images on our retinae change each time we move our eyes, head or body. We suggest that the visual system solves the problem of eye- and head-movements with two systems: a fast-acting mechanism that anticipates and counteracts the action of the saccade, establishing a transient spatiotopy that bridges the transition from one fixation to the next; and a long-lasting system of spatiotopic maps, which develop slowly over time, and represent the world in world-centred coordinates. We support these claims with a series of experiments using classical psychophysics, functional imaging, after-images and saccade-adaptation. We also examine the impact of lack of vision on the development of these maps. |
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