Monkey see, monkey hear

Can we hear light? Not yet—but we can make the auditory nerve respond to it. Using advanced genetic tools, we render the auditory nerve
sensitive to light and activate it with precise light pulses. This approach aims to restore hearing through optical cochlear implants.
A key challenge is determining how to deliver light in a way that produces natural patterns of activity in the auditory brain. To address this, we
use computational models of brain responses to both sound and light, and optimize light patterns to mimic natural auditory activity as closely
as possible.

Life is full of decisions, some simple, some complex. Paying attention may seem like an ordinary process, but a closer look reveals its complexity: focusing on one stimulus means ignoring all others. This trade-off is a crucial decision that individuals constantly face in life. Research shows biases toward different stimuli, including danger, kinship and infant faces. But what deserves the most attention? In this talk, I’ll reveal the surprising answers from science and share some behind-the-scenes stories from working with primates, plus way too many cute photos and videos you definitely won’t want to miss.