Researchers pinpoint brain areas that process reality, illusion

February 10, 2004 | Source: KurzweilAI

Researchers have identified areas of the brain where what we’re actually doing (reality) and what we think we’re doing (illusion, or perception) are processed.

They created a virtual reality video game to trick monkeys into thinking that they were tracing ellipses with their hands, though they actually were moving their hands in a circle.

The research shows how the mind creates its sense of order in the world and then adjusts on the fly to eliminate distortions.

Knowing how the brain works to distinguish between action and perception will enhance efforts to build biomedical devices that can control artificial limbs, some day enabling the disabled to move a prosthetic arm or leg by thinking about it.

Washington University press release