Researchers have long recognized the potential of visual perceptual learning (VPL) – a process by which the brain improves its ability to detect subtle differences in visual stimuli, such as fine patterns or orientations – to enhance vision. VPL is already being explored in professional contexts such as radiology, where precise detection of faint anomalies in medical images can save lives. However, a significant challenge remains: improvements in visual perception through VPL are typically confined to the exact part of the visual field that is trained, greatly restricting its broader clinical and practical applications.
To address this challenge, Luke Rosedahl, Ph.D., principal investigator, an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering within the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Florida Atlantic University, and a Sensing Institute (I-SENSE) fellow, has received a $746,998, three-year grant from the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health.
The grant will support his research aimed at uncovering the neural mechanisms that allow VPL to generalize beyond the specific conditions under which it is acquired. Rosedahl’s work focuses on how different forms of attention – such as feature-based attention, which focuses on specific characteristics of visual stimuli, and spatial attention, which directs focus to particular locations in the visual field – interact to enable the transfer of visual learning to untrained areas.
“This grant represents an incredible opportunity to advance our understanding of how the brain learns to see and how that learning can be made more adaptable,” said Rosedahl, a member of the FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute. “Our ultimate goal is to understand the mechanisms that allow visual perceptual learning to transfer across the visual field. By identifying how attention contributes to this process, we can develop more effective training paradigms for vision rehabilitation and potentially create artificial intelligence systems that mimic the human brain’s remarkable ability to adapt and learn from visual experience.”
Rosedahl’s project will employ a combination of computational modeling, brain imaging, and neurochemical analysis to study how visual information is reorganized during learning. The research will specifically investigate a technique known as “double-training,” in which training on a secondary, seemingly unrelated task at a new visual field location prompts the transfer of previously acquired visual skills to that location. By integrating data from behavioral performance measures, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and changes in neurotransmitter concentrations measured through magnetic resonance spectroscopy, the project aims to develop a unified model of visual processing, VPL and attention.
“We expect this model to not only advance fundamental neuroscience but also serve as a valuable resource for the broader scientific community studying visual learning in real-world scenarios,” said Rosedahl.
The implications of this research are far-reaching. For individuals with visual impairments, the ability to generalize visual learning across the visual field could dramatically improve the efficiency and effectiveness of rehabilitation programs. For professionals in fields such as radiology, surveillance or any domain that relies on nuanced visual discrimination, these insights could inform advanced training methods that enhance accuracy and performance. Furthermore, the principles uncovered in this research could inspire the design of AI systems that learn and adapt in ways more analogous to the human brain, particularly in tasks requiring sophisticated visual judgment.
Rosedahl’s long-term research goal is to understand the interactions between multiple visual processes including category learning, visual perceptual learning, and attention, to optimize both training paradigms and rehabilitation strategies. His work builds on prior findings that VPL is typically highly location-specific, aiming to uncover how combinations of attention mechanisms can overcome this limitation.
Over the next three years, Rosedahl and his team will work to decode the neural processes underlying flexible visual learning, paving the way for more effective interventions for individuals with visual impairments and novel approaches to training in professional fields that demand high-level visual expertise.
“Professor Rosedahl’s work addresses a fundamental challenge in vision science with enormous real-world impact,” said Stella Batalama, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “By uncovering how the brain can generalize visual learning, this research could transform vision rehabilitation and professional training, redefining what is possible for individuals with visual impairments and advancing our understanding of human perception. It also has the potential to inspire innovative approaches to learning and adaptation in both humans and machines.”
- FAU -
About FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science:
The FAU College of Engineering and Computer Science is internationally recognized for innovative research and education in the areas of computer science and artificial intelligence (AI), computer engineering, electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, civil, environmental and geomatics engineering, mechanical engineering, and ocean engineering. Research conducted by the faculty and their teams expose students to technology innovations that push the current state-of-the art of the disciplines. The College research efforts are supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Education (DOEd), the State of Florida, and industry. The FAU College of Engineering and Computer Science offers degrees with a modern twist that bear specializations in areas of national priority such as AI, cybersecurity, internet-of-things, transportation and supply chain management, and data science. New degree programs include Master of Science in AI (first in Florida), Master of Science and Bachelor in Data Science and Analytics, and the new Professional Master of Science and Ph.D. in computer science for working professionals. For more information about the College, please visit eng.fau.edu.
About FAU’s Sensing Institute (I-SENSE)
Florida Atlantic University’ Sensing Institute (I-SENSE) is a university-wide research institute advancing innovation in sensing, smart systems, and real-time situational awareness technologies. As the hub for FAU’s strategic research emphasis in Sensing and Smart Systems, I-SENSE integrates cutting-edge research in sensing, computing, AI/ML, and wireless communication across disciplines and domains. With a mission to catalyze research excellence and deliver high-impact technological solutions, I-SENSE drives interdisciplinary collaboration across academia, industry, and government. From infrastructure systems and weather forecasting to health, behavior, and connected autonomy, I-SENSE-enabled technologies support improved decision-making, automated control, and fine-grained situational awareness at scale. Through its robust technical, research, and administrative cores, I-SENSE plays a leading role in developing next-generation intelligent systems, as well as attracting and supporting the next generation of interdisciplinary researchers and practitioners that are transforming fields as varied as ocean science, transportation, healthcare, defense, and beyond. Recognized as one of FAU’s most visible and influential research programs, I-SENSE has helped position the university as a national leader in the technology enablers of large-scale situational awareness and contributed to FAU’s designation as a top-tier R1 research institution. Learn more at fau.edu/isense/.
About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University serves more than 32,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses along Florida’s Southeast coast. Recognized as one of only 21 institutions nationwide with dual designations from the Carnegie Classification - “R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production” and “Opportunity College and University” - FAU stands at the intersection of academic excellence and social mobility. Ranked among the Top 100 Public Universities by U.S. News & World Report, FAU is also nationally recognized as a Top 25 Best-In-Class College and cited by Washington Monthly as “one of the country’s most effective engines of upward mobility.” As a university of first choice for students across Florida and the nation, FAU welcomed its most academically competitive incoming class in university history in Fall 2025. To learn more, visit www.fau.edu.
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