Document Detail


What is second-order vision for? Discriminating illumination versus material changes.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20884600     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The human visual system is sensitive to second-order modulations of the local contrast (CM) or amplitude (AM) of a carrier signal. Second-order cues are detected independently of first-order luminance signals; however, it is not clear why vision should benefit from second-order sensitivity. Analysis of the first- and second-order contents of natural images suggests that these cues tend to occur together, but their phase relationship varies. We have shown that in-phase combinations of LM and AM are perceived as a shaded corrugated surface whereas the anti-phase combination can be seen as corrugated when presented alone or as a flat material change when presented in a plaid containing the in-phase cue. We now extend these findings using new stimulus types and a novel haptic matching task. We also introduce a computational model based on initially separate first- and second-order channels that are combined within orientation and subsequently across orientation to produce a shading signal. Contrast gain control allows the LM + AM cue to suppress responses to the LM - AM when presented in a plaid. Thus, the model sees LM - AM as flat in these circumstances. We conclude that second-order vision plays a key role in disambiguating the origin of luminance changes within an image.
Authors:
Andrew J Schofield; Paul B Rock; Peng Sun; Xiaoyue Jiang; Mark A Georgeson
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2010-07-16
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of vision     Volume:  10     ISSN:  1534-7362     ISO Abbreviation:  J Vis     Publication Date:  2010  
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-10-04     Completed Date:  2011-01-24     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  101147197     Medline TA:  J Vis     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  2     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. a.j.schofield@bham.ac.uk
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Contrast Sensitivity / physiology*
Cues
Depth Perception / physiology*
Discrimination (Psychology) / physiology
Humans
Lighting*
Models, Neurological*
Orientation / physiology
Photic Stimulation / methods
Surface Properties

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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