Professor Tom Carlson
Current & Previous Appointments
My research focuses on uncovering the brain mechanisms that support human perception -- how do we see?
We are a computational and theoretical neuroscience research group in the School of Psychology at the University of Sydney. Our research uses neural decoding methods to study how the brain represents information; and how the structure of information in brain representations relates to, and can be use to be predict behaviour. We use functional magnet resonance imaging (fMRI) to study how information is represented in different brain areas; and magnetoencephalography (MEG) to study how the brain dynamically processes information in time with millisecond precision.
For more information about our lab, see our websitehttps://www.sydneycompcogneurolab.com
The lab currently has several openings for Honours and PhD projects. Example projects include:
Making mind maps from brain waves
How do our brains see and represent the visual world around us? To answer this question, this project will apply cutting-edge brain-reading techniques to neuroimaging data. The project will use electroencephalography (EEG) to record brain activity from participants while they view visual stimuli. The stimuli will be presented periodically at different speeds, using a fast periodic decoding paradigm recently developed in our lab. We will apply state-of-the art machine learning techniques to the neuroimaging data to decode how the brain responds to these series of images. We will then compare the neural responses of different images to construct a mind-map. This reconstructed mind-map will unravel how our brains represent the visual world around us.
* Please note that this is a computational lab and the research involves computer programming. Students are expected to have programming expereince or a strong motivation to learn. Contact A/Prof Carlson for an appointment if you would like more information.
Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Project (2016-2019) "Tracking the Flow of Perceptual Information Through Decision Networks" Carlson, T.A., Shine, M., Coutanche, M., Cichy, R.
(United Kingdom Medical Research Council) Collaboration studying the neural mechanisms of object perception with Dr. Niko Kriegeskorte (Programme leader of the Memory and perception group). | |
(University College London) Collaboration studying the neural mechanisms of motion perception with Dr. Sam Solomon. | |
(National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)) Collaboration studying neural mechanisms of object and face perception with Dr. David McMahon and Dr. David Leopold (Section Chief of the Cognitive Neurophysiology and Imaging in the Laboratory of Neuropsychology). |
| Project title | Research student |
|---|---|
| Investigating the Impact of Dieting Behaviour on the Neural Basis of Food Perception | Marcus ANDERSON |
Publications
Journals
- Grootswagers, T., Robinson, A., Shatek, S., Carlson, T. (2024). Mapping the dynamics of visual feature coding: Insights into perception and integration. PLoS Computational Biology, 20(1), e1011760. [More Information]
- Alais, D., Burr, D., Carlson, T. (2024). Positive serial dependence in ratings of food images for appeal and calories. Current Biology, 34(21), 5090-5096.e1. [More Information]
- Robinson, A., Quek, G., Carlson, T. (2023). Visual Representations: Insights from Neural Decoding. Annual Review of Vision Science, 9, 313-335. [More Information]
2024
- Grootswagers, T., Robinson, A., Shatek, S., Carlson, T. (2024). Mapping the dynamics of visual feature coding: Insights into perception and integration. PLoS Computational Biology, 20(1), e1011760. [More Information]
- Alais, D., Burr, D., Carlson, T. (2024). Positive serial dependence in ratings of food images for appeal and calories. Current Biology, 34(21), 5090-5096.e1. [More Information]
2023
- Robinson, A., Quek, G., Carlson, T. (2023). Visual Representations: Insights from Neural Decoding. Annual Review of Vision Science, 9, 313-335. [More Information]
2022
- Moshel, M., Robinson, A., Carlson, T., Grootswagers, T. (2022). Are you for real? Decoding realistic AI-generated faces from neural activity. Vision Research, 199. [More Information]
- Shatek, S., Robinson, A., Grootswagers, T., Carlson, T. (2022). Capacity for movement is an organisational principle in object representations. NeuroImage, 261. [More Information]
- Goddard, E., Carlson, T., Woolgar, A. (2022). Spatial and Feature-selective Attention Have Distinct, Interacting Effects on Population-level Tuning. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 34(2), 290-312. [More Information]
2021
- Teichmann, L., Grootswagers, T., Moerel, D., Carlson, T., Rich, A. (2021). Temporal dissociation of neural activity underlying synesthetic and perceptual colors. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 118(6), e2020434118. [More Information]
- Karimi-Rouzbahani, H., Shahmohammadi, M., Vahab, E., Setayeshi, S., Carlson, T. (2021). Temporal variabilities provide additional category-related information in object category decoding: A systematic comparison of informative eeg features. Neural Computation, 33(11), 3027-3072. [More Information]
2020
- Contini, E., Goddard (nee Weston), E., Grootswagers, T., Williams, M., Carlson, T. (2020). A humanness dimension to visual object coding in the brain. NeuroImage, 221, 117139. [More Information]
- Grootswagers, T., Kennedy, B., Most, S., Carlson, T. (2020). Neural signatures of dynamic emotion constructs in the human brain. Neuropsychologia, 145, 106535 -1-106535 -10. [More Information]
- Tovar, D., Westerberg, J., Cox, M., Dougherty, K., Carlson, T., Wallace, M., Maier, A. (2020). Stimulus Feature-Specific Information Flow Along the Columnar Cortical Microcircuit Revealed by Multivariate Laminar Spiking Analysis. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, 14, 600601. [More Information]
2019
- Shatek, S., Grootswagers, T., Robinson, A., Carlson, T. (2019). Decoding Images in the Mind's Eye: The Temporal Dynamics of Visual Imagery. Vision, 3(4), 1-16. [More Information]
- Mai, A., Grootswagers, T., Carlson, T. (2019). In search of consciousness: Examining the temporal dynamics of conscious T visual perception using MEG time-series data. Neuropsychologia, 129, 310-317. [More Information]
- Teichmann, L., Grootswagers, T., Carlson, T., Rich, A. (2019). Seeing versus knowing: The temporal dynamics of real and implied colour processing in the human brain. NeuroImage, 200, 373-381. [More Information]
2018
- Teichmann, L., Grootswagers, T., Carlson, T., Rich, A. (2018). Decoding digits and dice with Magnetoencephalography: Evidence for a shared representation of magnitude. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 30(7), 999-1010. [More Information]
- Sankaran, N., Thompson, W., Carlile, S., Carlson, T. (2018). Decoding the dynamic representation of musical pitch from human brain activity. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 839. [More Information]
- Grootswagers, T., Cichy, R., Carlson, T. (2018). Finding decodable information that can be read out in behaviour. NeuroImage, 179, 252-262. [More Information]
2017
- Grootswagers, T., Ritchie, J., Wardle, S., Heathcote, A., Carlson, T. (2017). Asymmetric Compression of Representational Space for Object Animacy Categorization under Degraded Viewing Conditions. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 29(12), 1995-2010. [More Information]
- Grootswagers, T., Wardle, S., Carlson, T. (2017). Decoding dynamic brain patterns from evoked responses: A tutorial on multivariate pattern analysis applied to time series neuroimaging data. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 29(4), 677-697. [More Information]
- Contini, E., Wardle, S., Carlson, T. (2017). Decoding the time-course of object recognition in the human brain: From visual features to categorical decisions. Neuropsychologia, 105, 165-176. [More Information]
2016
- Ritchie, J., Carlson, T. (2016). Neural decoding and "inner" psychophysics: A distance-to-bound approach for linking mind, brain, and behavior. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 10(APR). [More Information]
- Wardle, S., Kriegeskorte, N., Grootswagers, T., Khaligh-Razavi, S., Carlson, T. (2016). Perceptual similarity of visual patterns predicts dynamic neural activation patterns measured with MEG. NeuroImage, 132, 59-70. [More Information]
- Goddard, E., Carlson, T., Dermody, N., Woolgar, A. (2016). Representational dynamics of object recognition: Feedforward and feedback information flows. NeuroImage, 128, 385-397. [More Information]
2015
- Ritchie, J., Tovar, D., Carlson, T. (2015). Emerging Object Representations in the Visual System Predict Reaction Times for Categorization. PLoS Computational Biology, 11(6), 1-18. [More Information]
- Wardle, S., Carlson, T. (2015). Zen mountains: An illusion of perceptual transparency. i-Perception, 6(2), 108-110. [More Information]
2014
- Carlson, T. (2014). Orientation Decoding in Human Visual Cortex: New Insights from an Unbiased Perspective. Journal of Neuroscience, 34(24), 8373-8383. [More Information]
- Carlson, T., Ritchie, J., Kriegeskorte, N., Durvasula, S., Ma, J. (2014). Reaction time for object categorization is predicted by representational distance. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 26(1), 132-142. [More Information]
- Plow, E., Cattaneo, Z., Carlson, T., Alvarez, G., Pascual-Leone, A., Battelli, L. (2014). The compensatory dynamic of inter-hemispheric interactions in visuospatial attention revealed using rTMS and fMRI. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 8(1 APR, 17 April 2014), 1-12. [More Information]
2013
- Redcay, E., Carlson, T. (2013). Rapid neural discrimination of communicative gestures. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 10(4), 545-551. [More Information]
- Carlson, T., Tovar, D., Alink, A., Kriegeskorte, N. (2013). Representational dynamics of object vision: The first 1000 ms. Journal of Vision, 13(10), 1-19. [More Information]
- Ritchie, J., Carlson, T. (2013). Tool Integration and Dynamic Touch. Psychological Science, 24(6), 1066-1068. [More Information]
2011
- Dakin, S., Greenwood, J., Carlson, T., Bex, P. (2011). Crowding is tuned for perceived (not physical) location. Journal of Vision, 11(9), 1-13. [More Information]
- Hogendoorn, H., Carlson, T., Verstraten, F. (2011). Mapping the route to visual awareness. Journal of Vision, 11(13), 1-10. [More Information]
- Naber, M., Carlson, T., Verstraten, F., Einhauser, W. (2011). Perceptual benefits of objecthood. Journal of Vision, 11(4), 1-9. [More Information]
2010
- Carlson, T., Alvarez, G., Wu, D., Verstraten, F. (2010). Rapid Assimilation of External Objects Into the Body Schema. Psychological Science, 21(7), 1000-1005. [More Information]
- Hogendoorn, H., Carlson, T., VanRullen, R., Verstraten, F. (2010). Timing divided attention. Attention, Perception, and Psychophysics, 72(8), 2059-2068. [More Information]
2009
- Hogendoorn, H., Kammers, M., Carlson, T., Verstraten, F. (2009). Being in the dark about your hand: Resolution of visual-proprioceptive conflict by disowning visible limbs. Neuropsychologia, 43(13), 2698-2703. [More Information]
- Kanai, R., Carlson, T., Verstraten, F., Walsh, V. (2009). Perceived timing of new objects and feature changes. Journal of Vision, 9(7), 1-13. [More Information]
2008
- Hogendoorn, H., Carlson, T., Verstraten, F. (2008). Interpolation and extrapolation on the path of apparent motion. Vision Research, 48(7), 872-881. [More Information]
2007
- Carlson, T., Rauschenberger, R., Verstraten, F. (2007). No Representation without Awareness in the Lateral Occipital Cortex. Psychological Science, 18(4), 298-302. [More Information]
- Hogendoorn, H., Carlson, T., Verstraten, F. (2007). The time course of attentive tracking. Journal of Vision, 7(14), 1-10. [More Information]
2006
- Carlson, T., Hogendoorn, H., Verstraten, F. (2006). The speed of visual attention: What time is it? Journal of Vision, 6(12), 1406-1411. [More Information]
Selected Grants
2024
- Measuring dietary biases using non-invasive decoding of brain activity, Rideaux R, Carlson T, Faculty of Science/Psychology Core Funding
2022
- Fluent Mobility for the Blind Individual Using Multimodal Auditory Sensory Augmentation, Lin C, Jin C, Singh A, Alais D, Withana A, Carlson T, Nguyen V, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)/Ideas Grant
- The Development of Conceptual Categories in Child Brain, Carlson T, School of Psychology/Booster Grant
In the media
The mountain illusion: What's wrong with this picture? BBC Future. 22 May 2015. (Carlson, T., & Wardle, S.)
