Learning and Its Neural Correlates in a Virtual Environment for Honeybees

The search for neural correlates of operant and observational learning requires a combination of two (experimental) conditions that are very difficult to combine: stable recording from high order neurons and free movement of the animal in a rather natural environment. We developed a virtual environment (VE) that simulates a simplified 3D world for honeybees walking stationary on an air-supported spherical treadmill. We show that honeybees perceive the stimuli in the VE as meaningful by transferring learned information from free flight to the virtual world. In search for neural correlates of learning in the VE, mushroom body extrinsic neurons were recorded over days during learning. We found changes in the neural activity specific to the rewarded and unrewarded visual stimuli. Our results suggest an involvement of the mushroom body extrinsic neurons in operant learning in the honeybee (Apis mellifera)

Development of crowd simulation models using unity for immerssive VR applications

We develop a virtual reality application that simulates a lecture-type talk in a crowded room and an emergency evacuation taking place in it. We perform an experiment where we immerse five participants in our application, and we analyze their behavior

Relación simuladores y aprendizaje en problemas de descubrimiento /

Las investigaciones contemporáneas en Educación y Ciencia Cognitiva muestran una creciente interrelación. En especial se observa un paralelismo entre los estudios sobre agentes artificiales y psicología cognitiva con proyecciones en idelaes educativos.La simulación de los procesoso de solución de problemas de descubrimiento en entornos vituales constitutye el tema central de esta publicación. El estudio individual de los procesos de solución de problemas usando simuladores se diferencia en su dinámica, frente al estudio colaborativo de los mismos.

Spatial effects in stated preference studies for environmental valuation

Bergh, J.C.J.M. van den [Promotor]Brouwer, R. [Promotor

Behavioral experiments in spatial cognition using virtual reality

Virtual reality is used as a novel tool for behavioral experiments on humans. Two environments, Hexatown and Virtual Tübingen, are presented. Experiments on cognitive maps carried out in the Hexatown environment are reported in this paper. Results indicate that subjects are able to acquire configuration knowledge of the virtual town even in the absence of physical movement. Simpler mechanisms such as associations of views with movements are also present. We discuss the results in relation to a graph-theoretic approach to cognitive maps