Action & Cognition Laboratory

About the Lab

From left to right: Jason Han, Liang-Wei Kuo, Jyh-Jong Hsieh, Maggie Lin, Zai-Fu Yao, Erik Chang, Chiawei Li, I-Chu Chen, Sylvia Chiu

The main purpose of dealing with external information from animal brains is to make movements that can change the status of the environment or the animal themselves. As a result, the brain areas that are responsible for processing various sensory perceptions, are closely related to neural networks and functional interactions of the brain areas that are responsible for planning and executing. The Action and Cognition Laboratory was founded by Dr. Erik Chang in 2007, the research focuses on exploring the characteristics of human behavioural control and the brain mechanisms of influencing these characteristics. Under the general orientation, below are research topics we are currently running:

1. Life span changes in motor control and higher cognitive functions

2. Influence of cognitive and physical training on brain/behavioral plasticity

3. Hypnotic modulations on motor control and numerical cognition

4. Individual difference in human spatial navigation

In terms of observing and recording behaviour, our lab now has PhaseSpace systems for motion tracking and position sensing, which could digitised the limb performance as 3D position online for examiners to analyse body movements. Due to needs of displaying actual items for the experiments of exploring human behaviour control, our lab equipped Plato Visual Occlusion Spectacles, which are able to change rapidly between transparent and light scattering and further control the timing of when visual information is presented to an experimental subject.

In relation to exploring the brain mechanism, our lab has been cooperating with Integrated Brain Research Unit from Taipei Veterans General Hospital for fMRI techniques, exploring brain areas of spatial navigation and working memory. We have also been collaborating with Brain Research Centre from National Chiao Tung University for the technique of combining virtual reality with analysis of brainwave frequencies, which exploring the changes of brain potential that relates to spatial navigation.

Lab Members
Laboratory Directors
Dr. EriK Chang(Click Here to download CV[1])
Lab Members
Students	Academic Year	Dissertation Areas
Sylvia Chiou	2013	Guidance or Interference? Augmented Feedback Benefits Bimanual Coordination Even After Removal
Zai-fu Yao	2013	Influence of Aging and Physical Activity on Cognitive Control and Visual Search
Maggie Lin	2014
Alumni	Year of Study	Theses
Jyh-Jong Hsieh	2008~20011	On the Extension of Peripersonal Space: Remote Tool Use and Multisensory Integration
Chian-Huei Tang	2008~2012	How Do Parameters of Motor Response Influence Selective Inhibition? Evidence from the Stop-signal Paradigm
Jason Zhi-Xiang Han	2006~2008	Influence of the Consciousness State of Action Observation on Action Priming
Wen-Jing Lin	2007~2010	The Contributions of Global and Local Object Landmarks in Human Wayfinding Behavior )
Hung-Chi Li	2007~2010	Gender Differences in the Orienting of Visuospatial Attention: The Influences of Cue Types and Expectancy
Tzu-chen Lung	2007~2010	On the training and transfer of task switching
Research Assistants	Appointment Beginning	Responsible Research Project(s)
Jyh-Jong Hsieh	2012	Developing mobile devices for measuring and enhancing the cognitive ability and physical activity in middle-aged and elderly workers
Chia-Wei Lee	2013	An fMRI Investigation of sensorimotor and numerical magnitude representations under suggestion
I-Chu Chen	2014	An fMRI Investigation of sensorimotor and numerical magnitude representations under suggestion
Han-Chao Tsai	2014
Previous Research Assistants	Tenure	Responsible Research Projects
Shuo-Jie, Huang	2010~2012	Blueprint development project for the Medical Equipment Industry: An Innovative Service System for Stress-relief and LOHAS Which Integrates Personal Healthcare[NSC99-3114-B009-001])
Lin-Zhao, Liu	2010~2011	Exploration of the Functional and Structural Brain Mechanisms Underlying the Improvement of Central Executive Functions Induced by Physical Exercise in the Middle-Aged and Old Adults: a Fmri and Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study [NSC99-2410-H008-065])
Rung-Yu Tzeng	2010	Blueprint development project for the Medical Equipment Industry: An Innovative Service System for Stress-relief and LOHAS Which Integrates Personal Healthcare [NSC99-3114-B009-001])
Yvonne J.Y. Lai	2008~2010	Effects of Age and Structural Lateral Compliance on Forward-and-up Stepping Movements [NSC95-2627-E009-001]；Sex Differences in Functional and Structural Brain Representations of Spatial Navigation and Motor Control---A Fmri and Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study [NSC96-2413-H008-003-MY3])
Liang-Dien Hsieh	2008~2009	Sex Differences in Functional and Structural Brain Representations of Spatial Navigation and Motor Control---A Fmri and Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study[NSC96-2413-H008-003-MY3])
Brenda Yu	2007~2008	Effects of Age and Structural Lateral Compliance on Forward-and-up Stepping Movements [NSC95-2627-E009-001])
Kiwi Chung	2008~2009	「Eco-City---健康樂活城」智慧行動生活科技區域整合中心[NSC98-2218-E009-007])