In the visual system of primates, different neuronal pathways are specialized for
processing information about the spatial coordinates of objects and their identity - that
is, 'where' and 'what'. By contrast, rats and other nocturnal animals build up a neuronal
representation of 'where' and 'what' by seeking out and palpating objects with their
whiskers. We present recent evidence about how the brain constructs a representation of the
surrounding world through whisker-mediated sense of touch. While considerable knowledge
exists about the representation of the physical properties of stimuli - like texture, shape
and position - we know little about how the brain represents their meaning.
Future research may elucidate this and show how the transformation of one representation to
another is achieved.