Visual-auditory integration for visual search: a behavioral study in barn owls
Barn owls are nocturnal predators that rely on both vision and hearing for survival. The optic tectum of barn owls, a midbrain structure involved in selective attention, has been used as a model for studying visual- auditory integration at the neuronal level. However, behavioral data on visual- audi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2015-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnint.2015.00011/full |
| _version_ | 1818484984692867072 |
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| author | Yael eHazan Inna eYarin Yonatan eKra Hermann eWagner Yoram eGutfreund |
| author_facet | Yael eHazan Inna eYarin Yonatan eKra Hermann eWagner Yoram eGutfreund |
| author_sort | Yael eHazan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Barn owls are nocturnal predators that rely on both vision and hearing for survival. The optic tectum of barn owls, a midbrain structure involved in selective attention, has been used as a model for studying visual- auditory integration at the neuronal level. However, behavioral data on visual- auditory integration in barn owls are lacking. The goal of this study was to examine if the integration of visual and auditory signals contributes to the process of guiding attention towards salient stimuli. We attached miniature wireless video cameras on barn owls' heads (OwlCam) to track their target of gaze. We first provide evidence that the area centralis (a retinal area with a maximal density of photoreceptors) is used as a functional fovea in barn owls. Thus, by mapping the projection of the area centralis on the OwlCam's video frame, it is possible to extract the target of gaze. For the experiment, owls were positioned on a high perch and four food items were scattered in a large arena on the floor. In addition, a hidden loudspeaker was positioned in the arena. The positions of the food items and speaker were changed every session. Video sequences from the OwlCam were saved for offline analysis while the owls spontaneously scanned the room and the food items with abrupt gaze shifts (head saccades). From time to time during the experiment, a brief sound was emitted from the speaker. The fixation points immediately following the sounds were extracted and the distances between the gaze position and the nearest items and loudspeaker were measured. The head saccades were rarely towards the location of the sound source but to salient visual features in the room, such as the door knob or the food items. However, among the food items, the one closest to the loudspeaker had the highest probability of attracting a gaze shift. This result supports the notion that auditory signals are integrated with visual information for the selection of the next visual search target. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T16:02:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a1963f224bab4baa86757af6c777a958 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-5145 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T16:02:04Z |
| publishDate | 2015-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-a1963f224bab4baa86757af6c777a9582022-12-22T01:42:24ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience1662-51452015-02-01910.3389/fnint.2015.00011126155Visual-auditory integration for visual search: a behavioral study in barn owlsYael eHazan0Inna eYarin1Yonatan eKra2Hermann eWagner3Yoram eGutfreund4The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, The Technion.The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, The Technion.The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, The Technion.RWTH AachenThe Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, The Technion.Barn owls are nocturnal predators that rely on both vision and hearing for survival. The optic tectum of barn owls, a midbrain structure involved in selective attention, has been used as a model for studying visual- auditory integration at the neuronal level. However, behavioral data on visual- auditory integration in barn owls are lacking. The goal of this study was to examine if the integration of visual and auditory signals contributes to the process of guiding attention towards salient stimuli. We attached miniature wireless video cameras on barn owls' heads (OwlCam) to track their target of gaze. We first provide evidence that the area centralis (a retinal area with a maximal density of photoreceptors) is used as a functional fovea in barn owls. Thus, by mapping the projection of the area centralis on the OwlCam's video frame, it is possible to extract the target of gaze. For the experiment, owls were positioned on a high perch and four food items were scattered in a large arena on the floor. In addition, a hidden loudspeaker was positioned in the arena. The positions of the food items and speaker were changed every session. Video sequences from the OwlCam were saved for offline analysis while the owls spontaneously scanned the room and the food items with abrupt gaze shifts (head saccades). From time to time during the experiment, a brief sound was emitted from the speaker. The fixation points immediately following the sounds were extracted and the distances between the gaze position and the nearest items and loudspeaker were measured. The head saccades were rarely towards the location of the sound source but to salient visual features in the room, such as the door knob or the food items. However, among the food items, the one closest to the loudspeaker had the highest probability of attracting a gaze shift. This result supports the notion that auditory signals are integrated with visual information for the selection of the next visual search target.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnint.2015.00011/fullSaccadesSound Localizationmultisensoryvisual searchselective attentionsaliency |
| spellingShingle | Yael eHazan Inna eYarin Yonatan eKra Hermann eWagner Yoram eGutfreund Visual-auditory integration for visual search: a behavioral study in barn owls Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience Saccades Sound Localization multisensory visual search selective attention saliency |
| title | Visual-auditory integration for visual search: a behavioral study in barn owls |
| title_full | Visual-auditory integration for visual search: a behavioral study in barn owls |
| title_fullStr | Visual-auditory integration for visual search: a behavioral study in barn owls |
| title_full_unstemmed | Visual-auditory integration for visual search: a behavioral study in barn owls |
| title_short | Visual-auditory integration for visual search: a behavioral study in barn owls |
| title_sort | visual auditory integration for visual search a behavioral study in barn owls |
| topic | Saccades Sound Localization multisensory visual search selective attention saliency |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnint.2015.00011/full |
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