The laboratory for Synthetic Perceptive, Emotive and Cognitive Systems - SPECS - uses synthetic methods to study and synthesize the neuronal, psychological and behavioural principles underlying perception, emotion and cognition. The synthetic approach of SPECS combines real-world systems, such as robots, virtual reality systems and interactive installations with anatomically, physiologically and behaviorally constrained computational models. It is in this constructive approach that we retain a system’s view on mind, brain and behaviour while elucidating its underlying principles. Moreover, this approach directly gives rise to novel brain based artefacts and these synthetic perceptive, emotive and cognitive systems in turn can provide novel technologies for real-world problems including the enhancement of the quality of life.
 

SPECS is based on the notion that understanding the mind and brain means that we can synthesize and repair it. Our activities are organized around three complementary dimensions:

• Theoretical cognitive-neuroscience

• Biologically based real-world systems 

• Brain repair and quality of life technologies