I. AIM AND SCOPE
Traditionally, researchers in computational intelligence, cognitive science and neuroscience have focused on one sensory modality at a time, such as vision, audition or touch. This has led to a fundamental understanding of the encoding processes involved for each sensory pathway. The time is now ripe for expanding the focus of this research to investigate the integration of multi-modal inputs. Though the field of neuroscience has identified higher-level convergence zones for multimodal input, there are few computational models that faithfully replicate the workings of these circuits.

We note that the vertebrate brain has evolved in a world where stimuli from objects contain multiple sensory modalities. There is also a strong epigenetic, developmental aspect of multi-sensory processing and multimodal integration, as evidenced by results in the experimental literature. This leads to a multi-modal developmental perspective, where several brain structures are devoted to the coordinated representation and processing of these signals, including the hippocampus for memory formation and the basal ganglia for motor action. These are fundamental to understanding processes that govern cognition and mental development.

II. THEMES
The purpose of this Special Issue on Multi-modal Integration is to advance the state of the art in our understanding of neural, cognitive and computational models that govern multi-modal processing. We welcome contributions in areas such as audio-visual processing, visuo-haptic processing and visuo-motor processing. Furthermore, the control of motor action also involves multi-modal processing such as combining proprioception with visual feedback for target tracking. Topics relevant to this special issue include, but are not limited to
• Audio-visual processing
• Visuo-haptic processing
• Comp. models of multi-sensory processing
• Learning mechanisms for sensory integration
• Multi-modal development mechanisms
• Motor integration with sensory inputs
• Models of sensory convergence
• Modeling of proprioceptive inputs
• Adaptation mechanisms for sensory deficits
• Modeling of proprioceptive inputs
• Subcortical models of sensory integration
III. SUBMISSION
Manuscripts should be prepared according to the “Information for Authors” of the journal found at 13651http://cis.ieee.org/publications.html and submissions should be done through the IEEE TCDS Manuscript center: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/tcds-ieee and please select the category “SI: Multi-Modal Integration and Development”.
Important Dates
15 Jan 2017 –- Deadline for manuscript submission
15 Apr 2017 – Notification of authors
15 May 2017– Deadline for revised manuscripts
15 June 2017– Final version
For further information, please contact one of the following Guest Editors.

IV. GUEST EDITORS
Dr. A. Ravishankar Rao
School of Computer Science and Engineering,
Fairleigh Dickinson University, USA
ravirao@fdu.edu

Dr. Yoonsuck Choe,
Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, USA
choe@tamu.edu

Dr. Srinivasa Chakravarthy
Dept. of Biotechnology, IIT Madras, India
schakra@ee.iitm.ac.in