Award
National Eye Institute 7R01EY034897-03
Sensory Substitution and Brain Plasticity Following Vision Loss
Recipient
Stanford University, Department of Ophthalmology
Award Amount
$663,522.00
Ceiling
$663,522.00
Awarded
April 07, 2026
Identifier
7R01EY034897-03
This award funds research to improve sensory substitution devices for the blind by using AI and neuroimaging to understand brain plasticity and enhance vision rehabilitation.
Description
The project aims to develop and refine sensory substitution technologies and identify determinants of cross-modal plasticity in brains deprived of visual input to facilitate sensory substitution. It incorporates AI to simplify images of complex environments, uses MRI and spectroscopy combined with behavioral assessments to examine neural substrates in early and late blind subjects, and tests AI-assisted training to help blind individuals interpret visual cues. The goal is to improve vision rehabilitation strategies for the blind.