Researchers at Queen's

DR. NIKOLAUS TROJE

• Professor, Department of Psychology and School of Computing
• Canada Research Chair in Vision and Behavioural Science
• Director, Biomotion Lab

Mind over motion

Dr. Nikolaus Troje - one of the world's leading researchers in visual perception and cognition - studies how the human brain processes biological motion.

For animals, the ability to correctly process and interpret visual information is critical to survival. Professor Troje's research suggests the same may be true for humans and that our ability to decode motion is precise.

Using small sensors arranged on the body, Dr. Troje digitizes human motion, analyzes the information it contains, and plays it back to participants in his experiments.

His research shows that the brain is capable of identifying a range of attributes, including gender, emotional state and identity, even from very basic data. His experiments also suggest that biological motion is central to understanding the actions and intentions of others.

By exploring how the human brain operates, Professor Troje's research holds the potential for better understanding disorders, such as ADHD and autism, that affect how the actions and body language of others are perceived and interpreted.

Learn more about Nikolaus Troje's research...