Biological Intelligence

Research in Biological Intelligence starts with the study of the individual molecules that comprise the brain cells and builds toward an understanding of the anatomy and physiology of brain regions and sense organs. From there, researchers consider the functioning of the brain and how its parts work together to achieve basic abilities, such as perception, attention, learning, and memory. Ultimately, the theme considers how adapted forms of these abilities can lead to the highest manifestations of intelligence, such as when a child acquires the ability to speak and understand language or learns mathematics in school.

Interdisciplinary research in Biological Intelligence is leading to important applications in a variety of domains. The intelligent hearing aid project brings together researchers from the neurosciences, signal processing, and the speech and hearing sciences. The real-time system that has been developed has great promise for hearing enhancement technology. Similarly, researchers interested in learning and education are making use of video technology to improve the teaching of mathematics and reading. In addition, research important to lifestyle choices is emphasizing the importance of physical exercise to brain function and cognition.

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Biological Intelligence Research Groups

COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE
The members of the Cognitive Neuroscience group are concerned with how cognitive and emotional functioning are implemented in the neural architecture of the human brain. The group is noted for the diversity of techniques used to obtain an understanding of the relationship between mental and neural functioning.
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COGNITIVE SCIENCE
Cognitive Science group researchers are concerned with higher mental processes and how humans represent knowledge and process information. The research activities are focused specifically on two mental functions: learning and language.
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NEUROTECH
The NeuroTech group includes faculty from departments ranging from Psychology to Electrical and Computer Engineering who share a common interest in brain organization and function.
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