Objective
Monitoring subjects' eye movement is crucial for neuroscientific research on perceptual, cognitive, and motor processes in health and disease, as well as sleep studies. In these fields, animal models - particularly non-human primates (NHPs) - remain essential. Traditional eye-tracking systems require a still head, conflicting with demand for ecologically relevant approaches to study spontaneous behavior driven by the spreading of wireless neural recording technologies. Yet a commercial device for studying gaze behavior in freely moving subjects - be they animals, healthy humans, or patients - is lacking.
VisionMagTrack builds on the ERC CoG “EMACTIVE” (https://www.boninilab.unipr.it/en/projects/ongoing-projects/emactive/254/(opens in new window)) which focuses on neuroethological studies of freely interacting monkeys. By capitalizing on a patented, non-invasive magnetic eye-tracking system for humans developed by the University of Siena and integrating it with cutting-edge innovations in magnetic sensors with the support of CyNexo (https://www.cynexo.com/(opens in new window)) VisionMagTrack will develop a brand-new, compact, non-invasive system using a contact lens with embedded magnets to wirelessly track freely-moving subjects’ eye position during spontaneous behavior and sleep. The system will map subjects’ eye position onto the video of the scene they face during spontaneous behavior, captured by a head-mounted micro-camera, allowing synchronization with parallel neural and behavioral recordings. The solution will be primarily tested on NHPs at the University of Parma for basic neuroscientific research purposes and then validated to achieve possible medical certification for human use.
By addressing a critical gap in current technologies, VisionMagTrack will deliver a market-ready device for neurobehavioral research in freely moving subjects, enabling eye-movement tracking with broad applications across visual, sensorimotor, decision-making, and social neuroscience, as well as during sleep studies.
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
- natural sciences biological sciences neurobiology
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering sensors
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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-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept 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-POC
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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.
43121 PARMA
Italy
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.