Biography:Jocelyn Faubert

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Short description: Canadian neuroscientist
Jocelyn Faubert
Born1959
NationalityCanadian
Alma materConcordia University
Known forNeurophysics, Visual Perception
Scientific career
FieldsPsychophysics, Neuroscience
InstitutionsUniversity of Montreal

Jocelyn Faubert (born 1959) is a Canadian psychophysicist best known for his work in the fields of visual perception, vision of the elderly, and neuropsychology. Faubert holds the NSERC-Essilor Industrial Research Chair in Visual Perception and Presbyopia.[1] He is the director of the Laboratory of Psychophysics and Visual Perception at the University of Montreal.[2] Faubert has also been involved in the[3] transfer of research and developments from the laboratory into the commercial domain. He is a co-founder and member of the Board of Directors of CogniSens Inc.[4]

Faubert obtained his M.Sc. and Ph.D. from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. Faubert's early work was related to aging, vision, and glaucoma.[5][6] More recently, his work has focused on neuroplasticity as it relates to visual perception and cognitive performance.

Research

Faubert oversees the work of a team of researchers and post-doctoral fellows[7] in his multidisciplinary psychophysical and visual perception laboratory. Research areas include Brain Function, Perception, Multi-sensory integration, Neurolobiological Alterations (Autism, aging, mTBI, Stroke), Neurological systems, Biophonics, Nanophotonics and Optics.[citation needed] Over 130 peer-reviewed articles[8] have resulted from the research conducted at the laboratory, as well as several patents.

Technologies

The laboratory makes use of several suites of technology to conduct its research:

  • EON Icube : A Multi-sided immersive environment in which participants are completely surrounded by virtual imagery and 3D sound.[9]
  • CAVE :The Cave Automatic Virtual Environment is an advanced display system of the size of a room. It combines stereoscopic projection and high-resolution 3D computer graphics to create the illusion of being present in a virtual environment.[10]
  • EEG: the recording of electrical activity along the scalp produced by the firing of neurons within the brain. EEG refers to the recording of the brain's spontaneous electrical activity over a short period of time as recorded from multiple electrodes placed on the scalp.
  • Driving Simulator: An immersive 180° field-of-view screen with simulated rear and side-view mirrors. Used extensively in research into the driving capacity of the elderly.[citation needed]

Laboratory research populations

The laboratory utilises its 3D technologies and diagnostic equipment to investigate perceptual cognitive issues in various populations: adults, the elderly,[11] children,[12] autistics[13] and those suffering from mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI).[14]

Scientific research

Faubert and colleagues were able to pinpoint the effect of normal aging on visual and perceptual functions. One important study demonstrated that it is not the physical tools of vision which are affected by aging. Rather, it is a loss of computational or processing ability of the brain that ultimately affects visual perception as people age.[15][16][17][18][19]

Faubert and colleagues examined the impact of developmental disorders (autism, fragile x syndrome, etc.) on visual function. They were able to demonstrate that in the case of autism (unlike fragile x), patients' results are not pathway-specific, but rather are dependent on the complexity of the neural processing required to perceive the image. Over the course of their studies, Faubert and colleagues observed autism patients who could significantly outperform the general population at certain visual tasks, and patients who could significantly underperform the general population at the same tasks.[20][21]

The laboratory engages in research concerning illusions in order to investigate perceptual function. For example, the peripheral drift illusion illustrates that temporal differences in luminance processing produce a signal that tricks the motion system.[22]

Mild Perceptual Impairment (MPI) is a term that covers the deficits in complex perception that accompany reduced cognitive ability in the elderly, those affected by Autism, and also those individuals suffering from mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI).[23] Faubert's recent research has covered the detection of these deficits through detecting distinct "perceptual signatures" as well as through simulated optic flow in a virtual environment,[24] assessing postural reactivity to determine cognitive-perceptual levels.

Awards and honors

Faubert has seven distinct patents registered worldwide. He has acted as a referee for more than 17 peer-reviewed academic journals. He has been a guest lecturer including the Joe Brunei Award lecture in recognition for outstanding contributions in Ophthalmic Optics in 2009.

Patents

Faubert has been engaged in transferring technology from the academic world to the biomedical industry. This has led to seven distinct patents (3 delivered, 4 pending) all of which are licensed to spin-off companies.

Between 2007 and 2009, Faubert and colleagues patented a series of technologies designed to aid in the assessment and intervention of early neurobiological alterations (NBA) such as concussions, dementia, developmental disorders (e.g. autism, fragile X) etc.[25][26][27] In 2010, a spin-off company licensed these technologies with a variety of medical and athletic purposes.[4]

In 1999, Faubert, along with Vasile Diaconu, patented "On-line Spectroreflectometry Oxygenation Measurement in the Eye" (O.S.O.M.E). This development allows doctors to measure a patient's blood oxygen level non-invasively. The device instead is able to check the color of the retinal artery at the back of the eye and render a precise measurement in a matter of seconds.[28][29][30] This technology and 2 other related technologies are licensed to a spin-off company that is fabricating new generation retinal cameras for ophthalmologists and optometrists.

Technology transfer

Faubert and the Visual Perception and Psychophysics Laboratory have been involved in transferring laboratory developments into the commercial domain since 1999.[28] Several funding agencies have been involved in brokering this technology transfer. From the commercial domain, Essilor (an ophthalmic lens company) has partnered with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). Together, their aim has been to explore the connection between aging, visual perception, and posture. Faubert has been a chairholder at the NSERC since 2003, at which time his laboratory received a five-year grant (renewed in 2008).[1]

In a separate commercial venture, Faubert's Laboratory has partnered with Univalor (a technology transfer specialist), CogniSens Inc.[31] (a biomedical technology company) and Cognisens Athletics Inc.,[32] licensing four technologies related to visual perception and brain function. The aim of this partnership is to commercialize Faubert's research in the medical and team sports markets. Applications include concussion detection (NeuroMinder C3)[33] and perceptual-cognitive training (NeuroTracker).[4][34]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "NSERC - Chairholder Profile". Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. 2009-01-15. http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Partners-Partenaires/Chairholders-TitulairesDeChaire/Chairholder-Titulaire_eng.asp?pid=483. 
  2. "Visual Perception and Psychophysics Laboratory". University of Montreal School of Optometry. 2010. http://vision.opto.umontreal.ca/English/Membres/jocelynfaubert.html. 
  3. Lewis, Rob (2010-10-13). "Canada's Top 10 selected in Technology, Cleantech, and Life Sciences". TechVibes. http://www.techvibes.com/blog/canadas-top-10-selected-in-technology-cleantech-and-life-sciences. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Corporate Information". CogniSens Inc. 2009. http://cognisens.com/CSI/Corporate.html. 
  5. Faubert, Jocelyn (1986), "Temporal, spatial and chromatic mechanisms: their interrelationship in the glaucomatous eye", Concordia University, 4402, http://spectrum.library.concordia.ca/4402/ 
  6. Faubert, Jocelyn (1991), "Retino-geniculate pathways and the spatio-temporal properties of the human visual system in normal, aging, and glaucomatous vision", Concordia University, 4120, http://spectrum.library.concordia.ca/4120/ 
  7. "Membres". Visual Psychophysics and Perception Laboratory. University of Montreal. http://vision.opto.umontreal.ca/English/Membres/membres.html. 
  8. "Publications". Laboratoire de psychophysique et de perception visuelle, Université de Montréal. http://vision.opto.umontreal.ca/English/Publications/publications.html. 
  9. "Eon Icube". eonreality.com. Eon Reality. http://www.eonreality.com/products_icube.html. 
  10. "The CAVE: A Virtual Reality Theater". HPCCV Publications. http://www.evl.uic.edu/pape/CAVE/oldCAVE/CAVE.html. 
  11. Faubert, Jocelyn (2002). "Visual perception and aging". Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology 56 (3): 164–76. doi:10.1037/h0087394. PMID 12271747. [|permanent dead link|dead link}}]
  12. Faubert, Jocelyn; A. Bertone; J. Hanck; K.M. Cornish (2008). "Development of static and dynamic perception for luminance-defined and texture-defined information". NeuroReport 19 (2): 225–228. doi:10.1097/wnr.0b013e3282f48401. PMID 18185113. http://vision.opto.umontreal.ca/Publications/pdf/2008/2008-Neuroreport_19(2)_225-228.pdf. Retrieved 2011-02-03. 
  13. Faubert, Jocelyn; A. Bertone (2006). "Demonstrations of decreased sensitivity to complex motion information not enough to propose autism-specific neural etiology". Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 36 (1): 55–64. doi:10.1007/s10803-005-0042-5. PMID 16374669. http://vision.opto.umontreal.ca/Publications/pdf/2006/2006-JADD_final.pdf. Retrieved 2011-02-03. 
  14. Faubert, Jocelyn; O. Brosseau-Lachaine; R. Forget; O. Gagnon (2008). "Mild traumatic brain injury induces prolonged visual processing deficits in children". Brain Injury 22 (9): 657–68. doi:10.1080/02699050802203353. PMID 18698516. http://vision.opto.umontreal.ca/Publications/pdf/2008/2008-BrainInjury_22(9)_657-668.pdf. Retrieved 2011-02-03. 
  15. Faubert, J; Legault, I; Allard, R (Dec 2007), "Normal aging and the perception of curvature shapes", Optometry and Vision Science 84 (12): 1087–92, doi:10.1097/opx.0b013e31815b9e25, PMID 18091307 
  16. Faubert, J; Laframboise, S; De Guise, D (Aug 2006), "Effect of aging on stereoscopic interocular correlation", Optometry and Vision Science 83 (8): 589–93, doi:10.1097/01.opx.0000230267.19805.75, PMID 16909084 
  17. Faubert, J; Habak, C (2000). "Larger effect of aging on the perception of higher-order stimuli". Vision Research 40 (8): 943–950. doi:10.1016/S0042-6989(99)00235-7. PMID 10720665. 
  18. Herbert, A; Overbury, O; Singh, J; Faubert, J (2002). "Aging and Bilateral Symmetry Detection". Journal of Gerontology 57B (3): 241–245. http://vision.opto.umontreal.ca/Publications/pdf/2002/2002-JournalOfGerontology_57_P241-P245.pdf. Retrieved 2011-01-27. 
  19. Faubert, J (2002). "Visual Perception and Aging". Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology 56 (3): 164–176. doi:10.1037/h0087394. PMID 12271747. http://vision.opto.umontreal.ca/Publications/pdf/2002/2002-ExperimentalPsychology_56_164-176.pdf. Retrieved 2011-01-27. 
  20. Faubert, J; Bertone, A; Mottron, L; Jelenic, P (Oct 2005), "Enhanced and diminished visuo-spatial information processing in autism depends on stimulus complexity", Brain 128 (10): 2430–2441, doi:10.1093/brain/awh561, PMID 15958508, http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/128/10/2430.abstract 
  21. Faubert, J; Cogan, C. S. (Nov 2004), "Integrative cortical dysfunction and pervasive motion perception deficit in fragile X syndrome", Neurology 63 (9): 1634–1639, doi:10.1212/01.WNL.0000142987.44035.3B, PMID 15534248 
  22. Faubert, Jocelyn; Andrew M Herbert (1999). "The peripheral drift illusion: A motion illusion in the visual periphery". Perception 28 (5): 617–21. doi:10.1068/p2825. PMID 10664757. http://brain.phgy.queensu.ca/pare/assets/Faubert%20Herbert%201999.pdf. Retrieved 2011-02-03. 
  23. Faubert, Jocelyn; Brosseau-Lachaine, O.; Gagnon I.; Forget, R. (2008). "Mild traumatic brain injury induces prolonged visual processing deficits in children". Brain Injury 22 (9): 657–68. doi:10.1080/02699050802203353. PMID 18698516. http://vision.opto.umontreal.ca/Publications/pdf/2008/2008-BrainInjury_22(9)_657-668.pdf. Retrieved 2011-01-27. 
  24. Faubert, Jocelyn; Jean-Marie Hanssens; Philippe Turpin-Lavallée; Roshan Soowamber (2010-08-13). "Visual control of posture as a function of age and cognitive task and its relationship with subjective discomfort". Journal of Vision 10 (7): 1022. doi:10.1167/10.7.1022. 
  25. Faubert, Jocelyn & Armando Bertone, "Device and method for measuring mild perceptual impairment", US patent 10485466, published 2019-11-26, assigned to Cognisens Inc.
  26. Faubert, Jocelyn & David Tinjust, "Method and device for assessing, training, and improving perceptual-cognitive abilities of individuals", EP patent 2349002, published 2021-05-05, assigned to Cognisens Inc.
  27. Faubert, Jocelyn; Rafael Doti & Jesus-Eduardo Lugo-Arce, "Method and system for improving a subject's sensory, reflex and/or motor mechanisms via auditory, tactile or visual stimulations", EP patent 2079430, published 2016-02-10, assigned to Valorisation-Recherche LLC
  28. 28.0 28.1 Faubert, Jocelyn & Vasile Diaconu, "On-line and real-time spectroreflectometry measurement of oxygenation in a patient's eye", US patent 5919132, published 1999-07-06, assigned to Universite de Montreal
  29. Faubert, Jocelyn & Vasile Diaconu, "Spectroreflectometric measurement of oxygenation in a patient's eye", EP patent 1065968, published 2007-03-21, assigned to Universite de Montreal
  30. Faubert, Jocelyn & Vasile Diaconu, "Flicker-induced interocular transfer-of-oxygenation for non-invasively assessing the neural integrity of a patient's central nervous system", US patent 6416481, published 2002-07-09, assigned to Universite de Montreal
  31. "Cognisens Inc.". http://www.cognisens.com/CSI/Home.html. 
  32. "Cognisens Athletics". http://www.cognisensathletics.com/. 
  33. Hadekel, Peter (2010-12-22). "Start-up assesses Athlete Concussions". The Montreal Gazette. https://montrealgazette.com/news/Startup+assesses+athlete+concussions/4011907/story.html. 
  34. "Licenses and Assignments". Univalor. 2010. http://www.univalor.ca/eng/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=32. 

External links