Smooth pursuit is an important voluntary eye movement that stabilizes the image of an object on the retina to prevent blur. In various projects, I am exploring the information that are guiding smooth pursuit, and how the pursuit system deals with different types of distractors in complex visual scenes. In one project, I tried to dissociate the contribution of motion integration and position matching to smooth pursuit. I created novel illusory stimuli that introduce conflicting signals to the two systems. Preliminary results showed that motion integration plays a dominant role, at least in normal observers tracking large targets. Another project investigates how normal and amblyopic observers's smooth pursuit system reacts to different types of distractors. I am using both well-controlled laboratory stimuli and dynamic videos recorded in real life to better understand smooth pursuit in real life scenarios.
Relevant papers and presentations:
Ma, Z., Watamaniuk, S., & Heinen, S. (2017). Illusory motion reveals velocity matching, not foveation, drives smooth pursuit of large objects. Journal of Vision, 17 (12), 20.
Ma, Z., &, Heinen, S. (2017). Altered smooth pursuit of global motion caused by illusory position shifts in local elements.VSS Annual Meeting, St. Pete Beach, FL.
Relevant papers and presentations:
Ma, Z., Watamaniuk, S., & Heinen, S. (2017). Illusory motion reveals velocity matching, not foveation, drives smooth pursuit of large objects. Journal of Vision, 17 (12), 20.
Ma, Z., &, Heinen, S. (2017). Altered smooth pursuit of global motion caused by illusory position shifts in local elements.VSS Annual Meeting, St. Pete Beach, FL.