EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW • 人物專訪 45 2025 UMAGAZINE 31 • 澳大新語 poses a fundamental challenge in consciousness science: how to bridge the explanatory gap between subjective phenomenology (what it feels like) and objective neurobiology (what physically occurs) to truly understand how consciousness emerges from neural processes. To tackle this issue, Prof Spapé and his team are conducting experiments to translate subjective first-person experiences into quantifiable data. By correlating these experiences with brain activity, they aim to identify the neural mechanisms responsible for generating specific conscious experiences. Injecting New Momentum into Neuroscience Research Prof Spapé joined UM in 2023 as an associate professor at the Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences. Along with bringing cutting-edge perspectives to brain science research, his unique interdisciplinary background has also infused innovative momentum into the UM master’s programme in cognitive neuroscience, where he integrates his expertise in cognitive psychology, neurotechnology, and computer science. Prof Spapé’s multidisciplinary expertise comes from an insatiable intellectual curiosity and a determination to push beyond traditional academic boundaries. Originally specialising in cognitive psychology, he quickly became captivated by the deeper complexities of the human mind. Reflecting on his educational journey, he shares, ‘I started as just a psychology student fascinated by the human mind. But during my PhD at Leiden University in the natural behaviour emerges from integrated perception-action-emotion loops, not just isolated motor commands. Traditional BCIs often treat the brain as a ‘biological remote control’, translating neural signals into one-way commands, such as ‘move robotic arm to cup’. However, such systems fail to capture the first-person experience—the emotional feedback that shapes intentions, like the urge to withdraw from a hot cup or the satisfaction of a firm grip. Prof Spapé’s approach prioritises decoding these affective states to create BCIs that understand not just what someone is doing, but why they want to do it, closing the loop between desire, action, and emotional consequence. To truly replicate the cycle, Prof Spapé emphasises that BCI technology must advance beyond its current paradigm. Next-generation BCIs must not only decode motor commands but also capture the brain’s first-person experience—the subjective sensations and perceptions that form the foundation of human consciousness. Achieving this requires neurophenomenology decoding, which links neural activity to subjective experiences such as the vividness of seeing the colour red, the sharp sting of a pinprick, and the nostalgic memory evoked by the smell of coffee. Prof Spapé explains the complexity of this challenge: ‘Imagine trying to describe the colour red to someone born blind. You can outline its wavelengths and associations, but you can never truly convey the experience of seeing red.’ This highlights the irreplaceable nature of first-person experience and Michiel Spapé教授研究的腦電圖數據 EEG data from Prof Michiel Spapé's research Michiel Spapé教授與研究團隊 Prof Michiel Spapé with his research team
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