Image by Yukiyasu Kamitani

The Shimojo Psychophysics Laboratory is the only laboratory on the campus of the California Institute of Technology which exclusively concentrates on study of perception, cognition, and action in humans. Employing a variety of techniques such as eye tracking, TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation), fMRI, EEG, as well as more traditional psychophysical paradigms, we try to bridge the gap between cognitive and neuro sciences. We would like to understand how the brain adapts real-world constraints to resolve perceptual ambiguity and to reach ecologically valid, unique solutions. In addition to our continuing interest in surface representation, motion perception, attention, and action, we are also beginning to focus on crossmodal integration and its development in infants.

Current News:

• New! Post-doc positions are available in Direct Conditioning of neural activity using real-time fMRI, and Neural Basis of Decision Making using fMRI, TMS and lesion study approaches in humans.

• Mark Changizi et al. have proposed that colour vision in primates - the only mammals with the ability - may have evolved to pick up on emotional cues. Read press coverage in the New Scientist, Die Presse (German), TimesOnline, and the Financial Times. -- 2/2006

• A new job is available in cognitive psychology. Please visit the ERATO Web site, under "Job Listing", for details. -- 10/2005

• The Shimojo "Implicit Brain Function" Project is now starting. This is a 5.5-year ERATO (Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology) project supported by JST (Japanese Science and Technology Corporation). Multiple jobs (posdocs and technicians) will be available very soon at Caltech and NTT CS lab. (Atsugi, Kanagawa, Japan). Please see the ERATO Web site for more information.

• Visual illusion: Steady-state misbinding of motion and color [ press release | NPR coverage | demonstration ]

• Dr. Shimojo has recently created several new illusion installations at the Shizuoka Science Museum RU-KU-RU (Shizuoka, Japan). [ more... ] (Japanese only)

• The length of the gaze affects human preferences, new study shows. [ more... ]

• Professor Shimojo has received the Tokizane Award in brain science from the the Japanese Neuroscience Society. [ more... ]

• CNS/Bi 176, Cognition, offered Spring term

  For the course syllabus and other information, go to the course page.

• Work-study students needed for sleep research.

  Earn while you learn! You will get to conduct experiments, write programs, think about research questions, analyze data and more, while you get paid! You should be motivated and able to write computer code. Contact Bhavin Sheth, bhavin@caltech.edu.

  For Caltech undergraduates only; US citizens preferred. EE students encouraged to apply. We can also arrange for research credits.

• Our publication list for years 2000-2002 is now available, covering a whole range of topics including TMS, cross-modal interaction, cross-modal development, visual spatial memory, fMRI on dynamic shape perception, photo sensitivity, flash-lag effect, etc.

• We are looking for infants ages 4 weeks to 3 years to participate in our infant studies program.