Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute

#Echolocation is trainable, but can learning it be optimized? In work presented to CSUN2025 and now published in @csuncod.bsky.social's JTPD vol 13, @haydeegl.bsky.social illustrates the benefits of adjusting synthetic but realistic echolocation sounds to be more perceptible by novice listeners.

YouTube video by The Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute SKERI • Iris Thanking Eye-Head Movement Lab (Subtitled Version)

The research enterprise is invaluable. We can easily see its importance in the cures or technologies available today. But sometimes it's difficult to see what research brings to people in the shorter term. Here is one of our participants talking about what it's meant to her. youtu.be/Yn9ywYj3UYQ

If you're attending #CNS2025, check out our lab's posters in Tuesday morning's Session F! We're proud to represent @skeriresearch.bsky.social in Boston this year.

Collage of 4 photos: Scientists performing an eye tracking experiment, a participant in an EEG cap being prepared for an experiment, postdoctoral fellows posing with the Peanuts gang at Oracle Park, SKERI scientists smiling for the camera

Interested in vision science, accessibility, eye movements, mobility or related fields? SKERI’s 2025 Postdoctoral application cycle is now open! For more information visit our site: www.ski.org/what-does-fe...

A collage of images with text about "Giving Tuesday". The collage features 3 images. The first image is of a person hands reading braille. The second image is of a person walking with a cane. The third image is of a clinician pointing to a patient some information in a notebook. The text at the bottom describes ways to participate in SKERI's Giving Tuesday campaign. Participation includes donating to the Bill Gerrey Makers Fund, volunteering at SKERI, participating in research and sharing on social media.

Here are ways to participate and support SKERI's #GivingTuesday campaign this year!:

1. Support scholarships and accessibility projects by donating to the Bill Gerrey Makers Fund: www.ski.org/bill-gerrey-...
2. Volunteer at SKERI
3. Participate in our research
4. Share our campaign on social media

Hey check this out 👇🏼
What happens to a #braille letter after it enters the somatosensory periphery through a #blind reader's fingerpad? In our new preprint 👇🏼 we showed braille and print alphabetic letters to blind and sighted readers, respectively, while recording #MEG. #Neuroskyence

Kate Agathos testing a participant on the rod and frame test

Natela Shanidze's Eye-Head Movement Lab currently has 2 postdoctoral fellows: Kate, who is examining how central vision loss affects spatial orientation & mobility & Christian, who is studying how noise exposure can impact balance in athletes. Learn more here: www.ski.org/labs/shanidz...

Adrien Chopin presenting a scientific poster to a colleague

Adrien, a fellow in Dr. Preeti Verghese's lab, is studying the underlying mechanisms of binocular rivalry dynamics in amblyopia, & how abnormal dynamics can be used for amblyopia diagnosis. You can learn more about research in the Verghese lab on our website: ski.org/labs/verghes...

Steve Heinen and his lab colleagues discussing an eye tracking experiment

Steve Heinen’s lab studies eye movements to understand neural circuitry that moves the eyes for clear vision, & as a tool to develop non-invasive diagnosis & therapy for brain trauma & psychiatric disorders. Learn more here: www.ski.org/directory/st... & ski.org/labs/heinen-...

photo portrait of Andrea Narcisi

Andrea is a visiting predoctoral fellow in James Coughlan’s lab where research is focused on developing & testing access technology for the blind and visually impaired using computer vision & other sensor technologies. Learn more about work in the Coughlan lab here www.ski.org/labs/coughla...

Haydée García-Lázaro and Santani Teng doing an EEG experiment in the lab with Santani being the participant wearing an EEG net and Haydée running the experiment.

In the Teng lab, postdoc Haydée García-Lázaro is studying neural dynamics of echolocation combining psychophysics, ephys & computational techniques. Lab projects also include sensory processing during Braille reading & use of nonvisual cues for assistive tech. ski.org/labs/teng-lab

Only 3 weeks left to apply for SKERI’s postdoc fellowship (apps due 1/31/24! www.ski.org/what-does-fe...)! To celebrate, we’re kicking off a month-long series showcasing research from our brilliant postdocs and mentors. Stay tuned! #InnovationForInclusion #VisionResearch #Fellowship

Impact Score: 23 Percentile: 6.0

Seems as good a first post as any to say my R01 application got some good news yesterday 🥳🎉

Title: Vision restoration: the dreamWhat do we mean by vision restoration? It depends who you ask. For many, it may refer to the recovery of full vision from... Session 7: Gordon Legge, PhD, Professor, University of Minnesota

(YouTube) Vision restoration: The dream www.youtube.com/watch?v=r91M... by Gordon Legge via @skeriresearch.bsky.social; "How do the functional benefits of prosthetic vision compare with the utility of echolocation, #soundscapes or tactile imaging?" www.youtube.com/watch?v=r91M... #blind #a11y

Title: I can hear what you see: cortical plasticity in congenitally blind individualsOne of the most important tasks for vision is tracking the movement of o... Session 4: Ione Fine, PhD, Professor, University of Washington, Seattle

(YouTube) I can hear what you see: cortical plasticity in congenitally blind individuals www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5UO... by Ione Fine via @skeriresearch.bsky.social; #hMT+ #plasticity #neuroscience #blindness

Did you miss the Functional Vision and Accessibility Conference this summer? Do you wish you could have attended more than once? Check out most of the talks here! www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

HOW TO APPLY: First, have a look around our website and contact a PI who could serve as a prospective mentor. If you agree on a proposed project, the PI will nominate your application package. Details 👇:
ski.org/how-apply
ski.org/current-ment...

SKERI offers a unique environment for people pursuing a research career. Our fellowships are normally awarded for 2 years with the potential to extend, and the option to apply for our internal PI track. U.S. Citizens and international scholars are welcome to apply! 🌎🌍🌏

🚨It's that time of year again! If you're into visual development, clinical vision, eye movements, attention, neuroplasticity, mobility, low-vision/blindness rehab & assistive tech, SKERI #postdoc applications are due 1/31/24! #academicjobs #visionscience #neurojobs www.ski.org/what-does-fe...

Minimalist title slide for a talk titled "Computational approaches to understanding perception and the brain," by Santani Teng from Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, for the SFSU Computer Science Graduate Seminar on Nov. 15, 2023. The black text is on a plain white background except for two horizontal lines near the top and bottom, and a light gray background diagram of a human brain on the right half of the image.

Had a great time speaking to CS grad seminar students at
SF State yesterday! Thanks to Ilmi Yoon for the invite, and everyone for your patience, engagement, and interest.
cs.sfsu.edu/event/gradua...

photograph of Bill Gerrey holding one of his electronic inventions

The SKERI family remembers Bill Gerrey, whose life and work on assistive technology for and by blind people shaped the way the Institute has pursued accessibility for decades. www.ski.org/news/skeri-m...

We are hiring! Seeking a research associate to support behavioral and #neuroscience studies of perception and mobility in visual impairment. See posting for details. #neurojobs