Efficient coding in touch: Exploring cortical feature tuning in the somatosensory system through the lens of efficient coding

Efficient coding models can successfully explain the emergence of different features detectors along the visual pathway, such as center-surround receptive fields, simple and complex cells, and even higher-level visual neurons. However, whether this approach also works to explain the tuning of somatosensory neurons is currently unknown. Indeed, a unified understanding of somatosensory cortical neurons, similar to the simple/complex cell dichotomy in the visual system, does not exist at present, with only a vague understanding of what features these neurons are responsive too. This project will explore cortical feature tuning in the somatosensory system through the lens of efficient coding.
This PhD project is suitable for applicants with a background in computational neuroscience or robotics.