Neural Biomarkers of Individual Differences in Navigational Abilities

Getting oriented in new environments and remembering the locations of resources are critical skills for human existence. For the military, navigation is vital to the survival of soldiers in the field and to the mission success of both remotely-operated and autonomous vehicles. Despite the importance of this skill, humans vary widely in their navigational abilities and it is unclear whether these abilities can be improved with practice or training. This project examines individual differences in navigational abilities, determines the neural biomarkers that are associated with those abilities, and tests a training intervention that could be used to improve navigational abilities.