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1. 從認知神經科學的角度看設計： how
does the brain react to various designed
items?
成大心理系 龔俊嘉
10/9/2012

2. overview
• Self-intro
– Brain
– MRI/fMRI
• Selected intro of fMRI studies related to
design (or value)
– Lesson: learn from your surroundings
– Read broadly, learn in every circumstances

3. Who am I?
• I am a cognitive neuroscientist (aka. brain
scientist) interested in perception and the
application of neuroimaging (fMRI)
methodology
• Collaborate with fellow scholars (especially
social scientists)
• Not a designer, but firmly believe that it’s also
related to the brain

4. Know thy brain
• Understand a little bit of our brain
– 109 neurons
– ever-growing (but gradually slow)
– Plastic (adaptation to environment, pressure,
genetical variation, practice, etc)
• Q: Could understand more about ourselves
breed more innovative design?

5. BrainTutor and BrainView

6. Know the MRI machine
• MRI vs. fMRI
Functional MRI (fMRI) studies
MRI studies brain anatomy. brain function.

7. fMRI intro video

8. MRI vs. fMRI
high resolution
MRI fMRI low resolution
(1 mm) (~3 mm but can be better)
one image (~7 min)
…
fMRI many images
(e.g., every 2 sec for 5 mins)
Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) signal
indirect measure of neural activity
↑ neural activity  ↑ blood oxygen  ↑ fMRI signal

9. First fMRI paper
Flickering Checkerboard
OFF (60 s) - ON (60 s) -OFF (60 s) - ON (60 s) - OFF (60 s)
Brain
Activity
Source: Kwong et al., 1992 Time 

10. # of Publications
The Continuing Rise of fMRI
Year of Publication Done on Jan 13, 2012
2012 spring, fMRI: theory & practice

11. fMRI Setup

12. The Big Magnet
Very strong
1 Tesla (T) = 10,000 Gauss
Earth’s magnetic field = 0.5 Gauss
3 Tesla = 3 x 10,000 ÷ 0.5 = 60,000X Earth’s magnetic field
Continuously on
Main field = B0 NCKU MRI center 3T (from Jan 2013)
X 60,000 = B0
Source: www.spacedaily.com

13. Metal is a Problem!
Source: www.howstuffworks.com
Source: http://www.simplyphysics.com/
flying_objects.html
“Large ferromagnetic objects that were reported as having been drawn into the MR equipment include a
defibrillator, a wheelchair, a respirator, ankle weights, an IV pole, a tool box, sand bags containing metal
filings, a vacuum cleaner, and mop buckets.”
-Chaljub et al., (2001) AJR
2012 spring, fMRI: theory & practice

14. Questions?

15. Value encoding
• Depending on the context, some items are
valuable than others?
• Medial prefrontal/orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)

17. Price effect

19. Brand effect

21. Nytimes iPhone fMRI
• Same as excitement (or the same as
seeing/hearing/holding love ones)
• But it’s not sound at all!

23. 好設計是讓人快樂的

24. 2 examples
(a) IRS to elementary schools

25. (b) working memory training and quit smoking

26. Take home message
• 別總是相信學校教的，老師說的，網路上
寫的，或是朋友 , FB, BBS 傳的 ( 雖然他們
也有參考價值 ) 。要逐漸培養自己的獨立思
考力。
• 多閱讀，多想，多跟別人討論
• 發揮橫向思考的聯結

27. Thank you!