Sensory Impairment: Causes, Impacts And Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,233,350.00
Summary
The team will bring focused expertise to building Australian research capacity in the relatively underdeveloped priority area of sensory impairment. The focused, practical program of sensory impairment population health research includes the themes of epidemiology of sensory impairment (particularly vision and hearing); vascular, genetic, nutritional inter-relationships with sensory impairment and associated diseases, and impacts of sensory impairment on independent living.
Hybrid Optical-electrical Stimulation For Precise Neural Stimulation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$935,579.00
Summary
In world-first research, we have evidence that combining electrical stimulation with optical stimulation significantly and safely improves precision of neural activation for devices such as cochlear and retinal implants. In this proposal we will use gene therapy to make nerves responsive to light in pre-clinical animal models to establish proof of concept that hybrid stimulation will significantly improve outcomes for recipients of cochlear and retinal implants.
Relationship of retinal directionality to human retinal anatomy variations. This project aims to improve measurement of retinal directionality, which is the reduction in brightness when a light beam’s entry into the human eye is shifted from the centre to the edge of the pupil. This influences retinal image quality and can be used to measure changes in shape of the peripheral eye. This project will apply advanced technologies in holography, and heads-up displays to explore how retinal directiona ....Relationship of retinal directionality to human retinal anatomy variations. This project aims to improve measurement of retinal directionality, which is the reduction in brightness when a light beam’s entry into the human eye is shifted from the centre to the edge of the pupil. This influences retinal image quality and can be used to measure changes in shape of the peripheral eye. This project will apply advanced technologies in holography, and heads-up displays to explore how retinal directionality changes during accommodation (focusing). The expected outcome is improved understanding of retinal stretching changes during focusing. The benefit is that the project will lead to advancements in retinal imaging.Read moreRead less
Removing the blinkers: a wider study of the human eye. Peripheral aberrations, wide-field retinal imaging and optical parameters. This project will study peripheral (side vision) optics of the human eye and its role in the limits of visual performance. This will improve ocular measurements and contribute towards improved diagnosis and treatment of ocular diseases and short-sightedness.
Advanced methods for intraocular imaging. The ability to image the retina of the human eye at high resolution is fundamental to improving understanding of ocular physiology, ocular optics and disease diagnosis. This project applies the relatively new application of active optics to vision science. This project will investigate the advantages of using new beam shaping techniques for characterising the optics of the eye, improving retinal imagery and improving fixation stability. This project will ....Advanced methods for intraocular imaging. The ability to image the retina of the human eye at high resolution is fundamental to improving understanding of ocular physiology, ocular optics and disease diagnosis. This project applies the relatively new application of active optics to vision science. This project will investigate the advantages of using new beam shaping techniques for characterising the optics of the eye, improving retinal imagery and improving fixation stability. This project will achieve three-dimensional holography of human eyes and develop holography plates for correcting the aberrations of eyes. Expected outcomes are not-before experienced resolution images of the retina and better understanding of the optical characteristics of the refractive surfaces and media in the eye.Read moreRead less
An investigation of respiration in stuttering. Australia leads the world in stuttering research, and this project will maintain that profile. The research aims to establish if breathing has a causal role in stuttering. The new knowledge produced will support or weaken current theories of the cause of stuttering and will contribute to understanding the nature of the disorder. In particular, it will be applied to develop more effective and efficient treatments for chronic stuttering.
Establishing the relationship between anxiety and stuttering. The present project will establish basic knowledge about the disorder of stuttering, which will contribute to offsetting the personal and community costs of the disorder by guiding empirical investigations into its nature and the development of future treatments. Further benefits at the population level will occur by provision to the public of basic information about the disorder assembled from this project. By conveying information f ....Establishing the relationship between anxiety and stuttering. The present project will establish basic knowledge about the disorder of stuttering, which will contribute to offsetting the personal and community costs of the disorder by guiding empirical investigations into its nature and the development of future treatments. Further benefits at the population level will occur by provision to the public of basic information about the disorder assembled from this project. By conveying information from the present project to clinicians who treat stuttering patients, the project will benefit Australians who stutter.Read moreRead less
Using visual science to reduce the dangers of night driving. This project aims to develop novel tests of visual function relevant to the modern night driving environment. Night driving is challenging for all drivers and has been linked to poor visibility under low light conditions. This project will characterise the visual challenges of the modern night driving environment, develop visual tests that incorporate the dynamic light levels typical of night-time roads and assess the association of th ....Using visual science to reduce the dangers of night driving. This project aims to develop novel tests of visual function relevant to the modern night driving environment. Night driving is challenging for all drivers and has been linked to poor visibility under low light conditions. This project will characterise the visual challenges of the modern night driving environment, develop visual tests that incorporate the dynamic light levels typical of night-time roads and assess the association of these tests with night driving performance. The outcomes will contribute new knowledge regarding dynamic visual processing and the ageing visual system and will inform vision testing, potential interventions to improve visual function for night driving and reduce the dangers of night driving.Read moreRead less