Objective
The human voice is one of our most powerful social signals: in a split second we can recognize who is speaking, sense their emotion, and infer intent. This ability is not unique to humans—macaques, marmosets, and other primates also rely on voices and calls to guide their complex social lives. Such parallels point to a neural machinery for decoding vocal signals that is deeply rooted in primate evolution. Yet we still lack a detailed account of how voices are represented at the level of single neurons, and how these circuits differ—or remain conserved—across species.
EVOICE will bridge this gap by moving from cortical maps to neuronal mechanisms. In WP1 we will use high-density, fMRI-guided recordings in macaques and marmosets (and, where feasible, in humans) to identify “voice cells” and map their anatomical distribution with cellular precision. In WP2 we will model the coding principles of these neurons using acoustic descriptors and deep neural networks, allowing us to disentangle universal strategies from lineage-specific adaptations and to identify neural precursors of key human perceptual abilities. WP3 will modulate the voice-cell systems, combining developmental exposure, adult training, and reversible perturbations to test how flexible, generalizable, and necessary these systems are.
EVOICE constitues the first comparative neuron-level investigation of cerebral voice perception. It will clarify how cortical circuits encode, adapt, and sustain vocal communication across primates. The results will shed crucial light on the evolutionary foundations of human voice perception, provide a principled basis for translational research on disorders of voice communication, and inform future brain–machine interface technologies, including cortical implants designed to restore or enhance speech and voice perception.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology mammalogy primatology
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology implants
- natural sciences computer and information sciences artificial intelligence computational intelligence
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-ADG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
13284 Marseille
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.