School of Psychology
University of Nottingham
England
Applications are invited for a fully-funded 3 year BBSRC Research Committee
PhD studentship working on the following project:
"Investigating representations of ecological invariance in a system of
biological motion perception"
Background: A common goal for ecological and biological models of human
visual motion perception is to determine the information needed to support
perceptual constancy in a visually diverse environment. One way to make
progress in this area is to investigate motion perception systems of high
ecological significance because the extraction of visual invariance in these
systems is likely to be highly developed and sophisticated. One such system
is that which encodes the visible movement of talkers' faces ("visual
speech") in human speech perception. In particular, although the visual
appearance of this biological motion varies considerably across different
talkers and across different viewing conditions, humans are remarkably adept
at extracting the invariant properties which provide the visual cues to the
speech we hear in each case. The primary aim of the project is to establish
the facial loci underlying the invariant visual and audiovisual speech
perception exhibited by humans, using a range of new techniques which allow
specific patterns of facial motion to be modulated and localized within
talking faces. Of particular importance is that these manipulations will be
guided by anatomical evidence concerning muscle representation and movement
(both in distension of facial tissue and in movement of articulators) to
help locate the points on talking faces relevant for the invariant
extraction of visual speech information.
Research on the studentship will be supervised by Professor Tim Jordan and
conducted in his lab at Nottingham where the successful applicant will join
an active, well-funded and supportive group of researchers in human
perception and cognition. The studentship may also involve our links with
the University of Nottingham Medical School and BT Research Laboratories at
Martlesham Heath.
Applications are welcomed from students with backgrounds in experimental
psychology, visual science, cognitive science, computer science or other
relevant areas. Applicants should already hold (or expect to hold) a 2.1
(or better) in their first degree. Informal enquiries about the project can
be made to Professor Tim Jordan at the School of Psychology, University of
Nottingham by telephone (0115 951 4384) or e-mail
(trj@psychology.nottingham.ac.uk). Web page:
http://www.psychology.nottingham.ac.uk/staff/Tim.Jordan/
Application forms can be obtained from the Psychology postgraduate
secretary, Ms Claudia Reale (cr@psychology.nottingham.ac.uk). The
studentship is scheduled to start in September/October, 2001.
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